How to Make Mashed Celery Root and Potatoes

Tired of ho-hum side dish mashed potatoes? Well – mix things up a bit, and try this dead easy mash of celeriac and potatoes…this is winter food at its finest!

If you’re not familiar with celery root (celeriac) then you’re missing out on one of life’s great root vegetable pleasures. Celery root is a healthier, lower carbohydrate alternative to potatoes and when mashed in about half and half with taters, it adds a delicious nuttiness and creamy texture.

So don’t get put off by celeriac’s ugly duckling appearance – get yourself some celery root today and surprise your friends or family with a great twist on an everyday side dish. Think of a celery root mash anytime you’d think of serving mashed potatoes and especially when serving roast beef for Sunday dinner.

Mashed Potatoes and Celery Root

• A roughly equal quantity of celery root and potatoes – try a creamy potato like a Yukon Gold, if you’ve got em’, but otherwise, any regular boiling or baking potato will do fine
• Butter and cream or milk – to taste or as much as your diet will reasonably allow you!
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped chives (optional)

1. Peel the potatoes and celery root and chop each into roughly 1 and ½ inch cubes. Cutting them all to the same basic shape will ensure even cooking times
2. Toss your potatoes and celery root into a pot, cover with water and salt the water generously (a tsp or so). Taste the water – make it taste as salty as you imagine you’ll want your potatoes to be on the back end.
3. Bring the water to a simmer, and then simmer the potatoes and celery root until they are done and a fork pierces to the center of a cube with little resistance.
4. Drain off the water and then pass the potatoes and celery root through a food mill or potato ricer (these two are the best options) or if you don’t have either of these handy devices, simply use your trusty potato masher to take care of business.
5. Add butter, cream or milk and salt and pepper to taste and then garnish with finely chopped chives on your serving dish.

Lovely!

This is perfect as a side dish with roast beef or even with a whole roasted chicken. Other flavors that work well with the celeriac and that you can add into the mash if you care to include:

• Horseradish
• Parsley
• Truffle or truffle oil
• Gruyere cheese
• Parmesan cheese