Celeriac
2006 Wikipedia CD Selection
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? Celeriac |
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| Apium graveolensRapaceum Group |
Celeriac (Apium graveolens Rapaceum Group) (also known as 'turnip-rooted celery' or 'knob celery'), is a specially selected Cultivar Group of celery, grown as a root vegetable for its large and well-developed taproot rather than for its stem and leaves. The root is used when it is about 10-12 cm diameter, or the size of a large potato. Celeriac may be used raw or fresh. It is best to peel celeriac before use, since the outer skin is tough and stringy. It has the celery flavor, so it is often used as a flavoring in soups and stews; it can also be mashed or used in casseroles and baked dishes. The hollow stalk of the upper plant can be cut into drinking straw lengths, rinsed out, and used for tomato drinks such as the Bloody Mary. The tomato juice moving through the stalk is lightly permeated with the celery flavor.
It is not as popular as it might be, especially in the western hemisphere, very possibly owing to its garish appearance before cleaning: it has been described as "a vegetable octopus", owing to the tangle of unsightly rootlets that grow at the base.
There are numerous cultivars available, especially in Europe, where root vegetables are popular. Among the types are 'Prinz', 'Diamant', 'Ibis', and 'Kojak', which all received Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit designation in the year 2000 trials.
Celeriac has good keeping properties, and should last 3 to 4 months if stored between 0° and 5 °C and not allowed to dry out.