Celeriac in 4 Textures: Chef Marco Verginer’s Gourmet Recipe

Four textures, one star: the art of repurposing and fully showcasing this Alpine vegetable.

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CELERIAC

Celeriac sauce

Ingredients

• 6 celeriac bulbs
• 30 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 8 shallots
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 kg cherry tomatoes
• 5 L Piccadilly tomato water
• 3 L vegetable stock
• Salt, thyme, bay leaves to taste

Method

Peel and cut the celeriac into cubes of approx. 3 cm and roast in a convection oven at 170°C until dark brown. Sauté the remaining vegetables in a saucepan until lightly browned. Add the roasted celeriac, thyme, and bay leaf. Add the tomato water and vegetable stock and let it simmer for about 2 hours. Strain and reduce until you have about 2 liters.

Parisian-style Celeriac

Ingredients

• 1 Celeriac
• 1 Egg
• 30 g Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Mushrooms (for the filling)

Method

Cut the celeriac into slices about 0.5 cm thick. Cook the slices in salted water until tender, then drain. Sauté the mushrooms in a pan until fully cooked. Stuff a celeriac slice with the mushrooms and cover with a second slice, forming a sort of “sandwich.” In a bowl, beat the egg together with the Parmesan cheese. Dip the stuffed rounds into the egg and Parmesan mixture, making sure they are well coated. Fry in a pan over low heat until they are evenly browned. Once cooked, cut and serve hot.

Celeriac Purée

Ingredients

• 150 g celeriac
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 100 ml heavy cream
• Salt to taste

Instructions

Place the sugar in a pan and let it melt over medium heat until it turns into a golden caramel. Dice the celeriac and add it to the caramel. Stir in the fresh cream and a pinch of salt. Cook until the ingredients are well combined and tender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Celeriac Confit

Ingredients

• 150 g celeriac
• Olive oil, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Thyme, to taste

Method

Place the celeriac trimmings in a vacuum-sealed bag along with salt and olive oil. Seal the bag and steam for about 1 hour. Once cooked, remove the trimmings and finely chop them. Season with thyme and salt to taste, then mix well before serving.

Plating

Arrange a quenelle of celeriac confit and one of caramelized purée. Place a slice of Parisian-style celeriac on top. Pour the sauce around the dish. Finish with drops of flaxseed oil, sautéed mushrooms, and fresh herbs.