Best Salt Baked Celeriac Brown Butter Recipes

SALT-BAKED CELERIAC & BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the salt and fennel seeds slowly to create a paste that holds its shape. Flatten about 1/4 of the paste into a circle on the baking sheet. Put the celeriac on top of the paste, then cover with the rest of the paste, making sure it is completely sealed in an even layer. Bake in the oven for 3 hrs 30 mins. To check whether it's cooked, poke a skewer or thin knife through the crust into the celeriac. It is ready if there is no resistance. If still hard in the middle, return to the oven for 45 mins. Once cooked, rest for 1 hr still in its crust.
• Once rested, cut off the top of the crust with a bread knife and keep to one side. Cut off the top of the exposed celeriac, discard and scoop out the inside, being careful not to break the celeriac skin. Mash the scooped out flesh with a fork.
• Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over a low heat, until the solids in the butter start to caramelise and smell nutty. Stir the celeriac into the butter to heat through, then season. Spoon back into its shell, replace the lid of the crust and put the whole celeriac onto a board or plate ready to serve.

BROWN BUTTER-POACHED HALIBUT WITH CELERIAC PURéE & CAPER CRUMBS

Steps:

• To make the purée, melt a small knob of butter in a saucepan, add the celeriac and cook over a medium-high heat until starting to brown a little, about 5 mins. Pour over the milk and cream, and season well - the celeriac should be just covered, so add more milk if needed. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 mins or until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and transfer to a food processor. Blend until smooth, then sieve into a clean saucepan, pushing the celeriac through with the back of a spoon or spatula. Add a little of the cooking liquid to loosen the purée if needed, and taste for seasoning.
• To make the crumbs, heat a small knob of butter in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Throw in the capers and cook for 30 secs more. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool a little, then stir through the parsley.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 2. Gently melt the butter in a small ovenproof saucepan or frying pan, big enough for the fish fillets to fit snugly. Once melted, add the shallot, bay leaf and peppercorns. Keep heating until the butter turns a light brown colour and smells nutty. Leave to cool a little. Gently lower the fish fillets into the warm butter, basting any exposed fish, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3-4 mins, depending on the thickness of the fish, then turn the fillets over and cook for a further 3-4 mins or until just opaque and feeling firm.
• While the fish cooks, reheat the purée and steam the greens. To serve, spoon the purée into the centre of each plate; use the back of the spoon to spread out slightly into a circle. Top with the greens, then carefully place the halibut on top. Drizzle with a little of the poaching butter and scatter with the crumbs.

BAKED CELERIAC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Thoroughly wash whole celeriac and pat dry; brush the outside with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with coarse salt and bake for 1 to 2 hours (for celeriac, longer is better; many vegetables will be done sooner), until the outside is roasted and evenly crisp and the inside is tender.
• Remove from the oven, cut up if you like (you can also sprinkle with more oil and salt) and serve. (Yes, you can eat the skin.)

WHOLE ROASTED CELERIAC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. If the celeriac has a green sprouting top, cut it off and discard. Scrub off any dirt and trim away any frilly bits of root. Rub the celeriac all over with the oil and place on a large sheet of foil, root-side down. Scatter with the garlic, herbs and seasoning. Wrap the foil tightly and place on a tray and roast on the bottom of the oven for 2 hrs. Check after 2 hrs that the top is very tender - if not give it 30 mins more.
• To serve, unwrap the celeriac and cut off the top. Loosen and mash the middle with the butter, some seasoning and squeezed out softened garlic, if you like. Serve the celeriac with a spoon sticking out of it for everyone to help themselves to.