Ugly celery root adds a bit of dash to dinner

Don't be afraid.

Yes, celery root looks as though it was dug from the depths of an evil forest created in the mind of Edgar Allan Poe. It's gnarly, knobby and, well, just plain ugly. Get past the appearance, and there's an irresistible root vegetable that combines the zesty flavor of celery and parsley. It has a refreshing, clean taste, deeper than celery, but without the strings.

Earthy, yet savory-sweet.

Also called celeriac, this frumpy veggie looks like a brown, lopsided sphere speckled with whorls and crevices, with dimensions that range from baseball to cantaloupe size. Unruly rootlets, twisted and muddy, dangle higgledy-piggledy from the bottom, while multiple bright green stalks and leaves courageously sprout from the top. Because the leaves and stalks tend to quickly wilt, they're often trimmed off when they reach market, giving the already less-than-glamorous wonder the look of a bloated bulb with a bad crew cut.

Hidden beneath the scruffy brown skin of the root is luscious white flesh, dappled with light-caramel tinges. For hundreds of years, this pallid-but-alluring interior has been prized in European purees, gratins, soups, stuffing, stews and salads.

Sliced, diced or grated. Boiled or braised. Even raw.

But bless our little hearts, for a long time Americans were reluctant celery root consumers. Then chefs took a shine to it. It turned up in everything from fish entrees to veal stews. Pot roasts and jazzy lobster salads. And avant-garde lasagna, in which thinly sliced, blanched celery root substitutes for pasta.

Not so long ago, it was available in markets only with large specialty produce sections, merely in fall and winter. Now, I see it more frequently, often year-round.

Perhaps the most classic celery root concoction is celeri remoulade. This crunchy salad is made with grated raw (or lightly blanched) celery root tossed with a tangy mustard-mayonnaise or mustard-creme franche sauce.

Here are some ways to use it.

Remoulade, main course or salad:

-- To make a classic celeri remoulade, peel celery root and cut it into wedges that will fit into the feed tube of food processor fitted with grating disk; grate. I like to blanch it for 2 minutes in boiling water (to cover) with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discoloration, then drain and pat dry on paper towel (but if you wish, you can use it raw). Then toss it with a mixture of 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (use less if you boiled it in water with lemon juice, more if you're using it raw), 2 tablespoons minced parsley and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; use just enough dressing to coat celery root nicely. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add a teaspoon of drained capers, if you like. When serving as a salad, I sometimes place it on a bed of watercress and add a spoonful of beet salad on the side (cooked beets, cut like matchsticks and tossed with a vinaigrette). Sometimes, I sprinkle a little crumbled blue cheese or toasted walnuts on a celeri remoulade, or serve it with a few slices of tart green apple. Or as a main course, top the salad with scallops or shrimp sauteed in olive oil. Garnish with chopped chives.

-- Potatoes mashed with celery root are the best. Cook peeled and cubed celery root (either 1 large or 2 small) in large pot of boiling, salted water 5 minutes. Add 4 large peeled and cubed baking potatoes; boil 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and return to pot; cook on medium heat until potatoes look dry, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and mash with 1 stick butter ( 1/2 cup), about 4 tablespoons milk, salt and pepper.

-- Celeriac of the sea:

Peel celery root and finely chop. Add it to your favorite tuna salad, along with a tablespoon of minced parsley or fresh tarragon. It'll add crunch and spunk.

-- Sauteed side dish with carrots:

This tender-crisp combination makes a delectable accompaniment to grilled chicken, pork, beef or fish. Peel and slice 4 medium carrots (or use 16 baby carrots - the kind that come packaged, already peeled - then cut them in half lengthwise). Place in medium, deep skillet with 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar. Bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium and cover for about 10 minutes. Remove cover and add 1 small, peeled and cubed (about 1-inch-wide) celery root. Add a little more water and cook about 5 minutes, or until celery root is just barely tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or fresh tarragon.

-- Celery root slaw with attitude:

Serve it with grilled German sausages. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 medium head of green cabbage (cored and shredded), 1/2 small head red cabbage (cored and shredded), 2 red or orange bell peppers (cored and cut into matchsticks) and about 3 cups of peeled celery root cut into matchsticks. Toss. In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons celery seed and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 6 hours. Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, August 2000.

-- Sassy bistro rice:

Here's a rice dish loaded with the sweet scent of celery root. Heat 2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and 1 clove garlic (minced); cook until onion softens. Add 1 cup long-grain white rice; cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is lightly browned. Add 1 cup diced ( 1/4-inch cubes), peeled celery root and 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to simmer; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 17 minutes. Remove lid, add 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, and fluff rice with fork, combining it with parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-- Chips o'celeriac:

Instead of spuds, make crisp chips with celery root. They make a lovely garnish, 1 per serving, with mashed potatoes or with green salad (insert vertically or serve on the side, so they look dramatic, but stay crisp. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 16 paper-thin slices of celery root. The best way to do this is to use a slicing device called a mandoline, sold at cookware shops. In a small container, mix 1/2 teaspoon canola oil and 1/2 teaspoon melted unsalted butter. Brush both sides of slices with mixture. Sprinkle with salt, preferably sea salt or kosher salt. Place in single layer on nonstick baking sheet. Bake about 6 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve at room temperature. From "Salute to Healthy Cooking" by Alain Sailhac, Jacques Pepin, Andre Soltner, Jacques Torres (Rodale Press, $30).

-- Roasted roots scented with apples and mustard:

Chef John Ash of Fetzer Vineyards created a dynamite recipe for roasted vegetables. Begin by reducing 3 cups of apple cider or juice, 1 cup fruity white wine (such as Gewurztraminer) and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; boil on high heat until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons butter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 4-5 pounds root vegetables in a large roasting pan (or pans); use both sweet (such as carrots, parsnips and/or yams) and savory (celery root, turnips and/or rutabagas); vegetables should be peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Pour sauce over vegetables, tossing to coat; season with salt and pepper. Roast 1 hour or so, or until lightly browned and tender, tossing 3-4 times during roasting to promote browning on all sides. From "Your Organic Kitchen" by Jesse Ziff Cool (Rodale, $30).