This is a classic French dish which transforms this knobbly, bulbous root vegetable into a creamy crunchy coleslaw. It makes a good side dish with cold meats, is perfect for a buffet table or as a BBQ accompaniment.
A remoulade is basically a mayonnaise based sauce to which is added your choice of herbs, mustard, capers, shallots or pickles, depending on what country you're in! I've also made it with half mayonnaise and half natural yoghurt which gives a lighter dressing. Here, I've stuck to the French version, using a good brand of mayonnaise with some grainy mustard and a squeeze of lemon.
1 celeriac, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks or julienne
(once peeled, I sliced the celeriac using a mandolin and then a sharp knife to cut the matchsticks)
1 lemon, juiced
(keep a tablespoon for the dressing but put the rest into a bowl of cold water. You will need to put the celeriac into it once you've cut it to stop it going brown.)
The dressing
6 tbsp of mayonnaise
3 tsp of Dijon or grainy mustard, or a mix of each
1 tbsp of lemon juice
black pepper
chopped parsley or chives to garnish
Start with squeezing the lemon and adding the juice to a bowl of water. (Remember to keep a tablespoon for the dressing)
Now for the celeriac. It's easier to handle if you cut it into quarters first and then peel and cut off the root. Using a mandolin, slice the celeriac and then cut into matchsticks.
I did a quarter at a time and put it into the bowl of water before continuing with the next quarter. You could also grate it coarsely with a kitchen grater or use a food processor.
For the dressing, mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl and taste the seasoning. Drain the celeriac, pat dry and gradually add it to the bowl, mixing as you go to coat evenly. Put into a clean serving bowl and leave to sit for about half an hour to allow the flavours to develop. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives before serving.
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