Celeriac
Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum), also called celery root,cocumboo plant,[3] knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery[4] (although it is not a close relative of the turnip), is a variety of celery cultivated for its edible stem or hypocotyl, and shoots. Celeriac is like a root vegetable except it has a bulbous hypocotyl with many small roots attached.
| Apium graveolens var. rapaceum | |
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| A celeriac hypocotyl sliced in half, and with the greens removed | |
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| Variety: | rapaceum |
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In the Mediterranean Basin and in Northern Europe, celeriac is widely cultivated.[2][4] It is also cultivated in North Africa, Siberia, Southwest Asia, and North America.[2] In North America, the 'Diamant' cultivar predominates.[5] The root is cultivated in Puerto Rico, sold locally at farmers' markets and supermarkets, and is a traditional staple of the Puerto Rican kitchen.[6]
History
Celeriac originated in the Mediterranean Basin.[2] It was mentioned in Homer's Odyssey as selinon.[7]
Culinary use
Typically, celeriac is harvested when its hypocotyl is 10 to 14 cm (3.9 to 5.5 in) in diameter.[5] However, a growing trend (specifically in South American cuisine, particularly Peruvian) is to use the immature vegetable, valued for its intensity of flavour and tenderness overall. It is edible raw or cooked, and tastes similar to the stalks (the upper part of the stem) of common celery cultivars. Celeriac may be roasted, stewed, or blanched, and may be mashed. Sliced celeriac is used as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes. The leaves and stems of the vegetable are quite flavoursome, and aesthetically delicate and vibrant, which has led to their use as a garnish in contemporary fine dining.
The shelf life of celeriac is approximately six to eight months if stored between 0 °C (32 °F) and 5 °C (41 °F), and not allowed to dry out.[8] However, the vegetable will tend to rot through the centre if the finer stems surrounding the base are left attached. If celeriac is not fresh its centre becomes hollow, though even when freshly harvested there can be a small medial hollow.[8] The freshness will also be obvious from the taste; the older it is, the weaker the celery flavour.
References
- "Growing Crops: Celery and Celeriac". Urban Organic Gardening. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- Schuchert, Wolfgang. "Celeriac (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum)". Crop Exhibition. Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- Watson, Molly. "All About Celery Root (Celeriac)". localfoods.about.com. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 500.
- "Celeriac (Apium graveolens rapaceum)". Desirable Vegetable Varieties, By Vegetable. The Owlcroft Company. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- Raíces y Tubérculos. Centro de Recursos Informativos Digitales Agrícolas de Puerto Rico (CRIDAg). University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. 2018. Accessed 8 December 2018.
- "eat celery root". eattheseasons.com. 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- "Small-scale postharvest handling practices - A manual for horticultural crops - 3rd edition". FAO Agriculture and Consumer protection. March 1995. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
External links
- Nutritional Summary for Celeriac , cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
- "RHS Award of Garden Merit: Asparagus, Celeriac , chard, Chinese cabbage, fennel, melon, pak choi, rhubarb 2011". Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2012. (306 KB)