Roast celeriac with fennel and black olives
“Its appearance can be daunting - all twisted, knobbly skinned and often dirty - but celeriac is an easy and forgiving vegetable to use.”
- 2 bulbs of celeriac
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and cracked pepper
- 1 tender fennel heart
- 1/2 a cup of chopped black olives
- 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
The celeriac bulb should feel heavy and the leaves protruding from the top of the bulb should be firm and straight, not limp. Choose bulbs that are no bigger than the size of a softball - larger ones tend to have hollow spots in the centre and their texture can be pithy. There is a fair bit of waste so choose bulbs which are smooth.
Method
Peel 2 bulbs of celeriac and cut into 2cm cubes or thick wedges. Place in a baking dish and toss with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, salt and cracked pepper. Roast in a preheated 200C oven for 20-30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes until the celeriac is tender and browned on the edges. Keep in the oven, on a very low heat, until it's ready to serve. Meanwhile, finely dice a tender fennel heart and mix with 1/2 a cup of chopped black olives, 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add some of the fennel tips, roughly chopped, and mix well. Toss the dressing with the celeriac.
Serves 6.
