There’s a payoff for patience
Winter kitchens demand rolling up your sleeves and being resourceful
Cooking in winter demands patience to soften sturdy roots into smooth mashes, patience to allow vinegar to penetrate and pickle and preserve, patience for a tough piece of meat to break down so that you can slice it — even if you don’t have a knife.
The required patience is also why I love being in my kitchen this time of year: I get to really cook. Whereas in summer I can just slice a tomato and sprinkle it with salt, maybe throw a fresh ear of corn in some hot water and call it a day, winter kitchens demand more. And responding to this demand means rolling up our sleeves and being resourceful and creative.
We get to turn hearty ingredients into comforting meals, get to fog our kitchen windows with steam from our pots, and get to gather the people we love around our tables.
Celery root
I love celery root (also known as celeriac) because it has such a distinctive flavour, not unlike a parsnip, and it can be enjoyed in so many different ways. But its gnarly look makes it a little intimidating. Remember: the roots come in such a variety of sizes, so it’s best to use the scale at the grocery store to make sure you are purchasing according to your needs and chosen recipe. Use a sharp knife to peel away the brown, craggy outside, and then go in any direction you want.
Enjoy the root raw: Slice it into thin matchsticks and dress with a creamy dressing for the traditional French salad known as remoulade. I offer a version with a creamy anchovy dressing because the Caesar-like flavour complements the root so well. Or simmer pieces of celery root with sautéed onions and purée with vegetable broth and creamy coconut milk for a smooth, vegan soup. You could spice the onions with turmeric and ground coriander seed for extra flavour and colour. When it’s very cold outside, though, my favourite way to enjoy celery root is to slice it thin and layer it with grated cheese and garlicky cream and bake the layers to form a decadent gratin that could be a meal on its own alongside a salad and a bottle of wine.
Celery Root, Chive + Cheddar Gratin
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper Pinch freshly grated nutmeg One 1½-pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices 1 cup coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
¼ cup minced fresh chives (may substitute celery leaves or chopped fresh parsley)
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Use the butter to grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.
Whisk together the heavy cream, garlic, salt (to taste), pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.
Arrange a third of the celery root slices in an even layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese, a third of the chives and then evenly pour in a third of the cream mixture. Repeat the process two more times.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake (middle rack) for 45 minutes, or until the celery root is starting to get tender (test it with the tip of a paring knife).
Uncover and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the celery root is completely tender and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
Serve hot.
Per serving (based on 6): 260 calories, 7 grams protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 23 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fibre, 2 g sugar
Creamy Celery Root Soup
Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced Kosher salt
One 1-pound celery root, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cups no-salt added vegetable broth or water
One 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (full- or low-fat) Unsweetened, toasted coconut flakes, for garnish (optional)
Combine the oil and onion in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook gently until soft and translucent; do not let the onion brown. Add the garlic and season generously with salt.
Stir in the celery root, the broth or water, the coconut milk and a teaspoon of salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, until the celery root is very soft.
Purée using an immersion (stick) blender or regular blender until smooth. (If using the latter, remove the centre knob of the lid and place a paper towel over the opening, to let steam escape and avoid splash-ups.) Taste and add more salt, as needed.
Serve warm, topped with the toasted coconut flakes, if desired. Per serving (based on 6, using broth and low-fat coconut milk): 110 calories, 1 gram protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 120 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fibre, 5 g sugar
Celery Root Remoulade with Anchovy Dressing
Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 1 cup)
4 anchovy fillets
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Kosher salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup crème fraîche (may substitute sour cream or mayonnaise)
Freshly ground black pepper One 1-pound celery root, peeled and cut into matchsticks Finely chopped parsley or celery leaves
Use a fork to mash the anchovies into a paste in a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, mustard and a pinch of salt, whisking to incorporate. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil and
then whisk in the crème fraîche, to form a thickened dressing. Season lightly with salt and pepper. The yield is about 1 cup.
Add the celery root and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with parsley or fresh celery leaves and serve. Per serving (based on 6): 150 calories, 2 grams protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 10 milligrams cholesterol, 230 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fibre, 0 g sugar
Turnips
This is another reliable root worth keeping in your repertoire. With a sweet but also sometimes bitter flavour, these roots too often turn up (sorry) eaters’ noses because their flavour is typically boiled away and not embraced. To celebrate them, try skipping cooking altogether and just quick-pickling pieces in a caraway-heavy brine. These pickles are such a bright and crunchy delight and offer a nice counterpoint to something rich like corned beef and cabbage or any braised meat. Also try serving them in (or next to) your favourite sandwich. They’re equally at home with pastrami as with falafel. To turn the pickles a beautiful shade of pink, add a few pieces of raw beet to the pickling liquid.
Quick-Pickled Turnips with Caraway
Makes 6 to 8 servings (4 cups)
MAKE AHEAD: The turnips need to marinate in the refrigerator for at least six hours and up to one week.
1 cup water
½ cup distilled white vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1 tbsp caraway seed
1 pound turnips (about 2 large), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick sticks
Combine the water, vinegar,
sugar, salt, garlic and caraway seed in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then turn off the heat.
Place the turnips in a heatproof quart jar, then pour in the hot vinegar mixture; adjust the turnips to make sure they are completely submerged. Cool to room temperature, then seal tightly and refrigerate for at least six hours before serving.
(Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful nutritional analysis.)
Steamed Turnips with Miso + Butter
Makes 4 servings
This is a slightly more refined, flavourful version of an old standby — turnips mashed with butter.
The recipe calls for small Japanese turnips because they don’t need peeling. But if you can’t find them, peel regular turnips and then cut them into bite-size pieces.
1 pound small Japanese turnips, greens trimmed (see headnote)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ tbsp white miso Freshly ground black pepper
Place the turnips in a steamer basket set over a pot with several inches of bubbling water (medium heat). Cover and steam until tender, seven to eight minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the butter and miso in a mixing bowl.
Add the steamed turnips to the bowl while they’re hot and toss well to coat; the hot vegetables will help the butter melt. Season lightly with pepper and serve right away. Per serving: 120 calories, 2 grams protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 25 milligrams cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fibre, 5 g sugar
Turnip Colcannon
Makes 6 servings (about 5 cups)
This makes a nice, low-carb change from potatoes. Instead of the traditional cabbage or kale, the greens from the turnips are used.
One large bunch turnips with greens attached (about 4 turnips)
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup heavy cream
Separate the turnips from their greens. Rinse the greens well, then coarsely chop them. Peel the turnips, then coarsely chop them.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a generous pinch or two of salt. Add the turnips and cook (uncovered) for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are soft. Add the greens to the pot; cook for about three minutes; by this time the turnips should be quite soft and the greens should be bright green and tender.
Drain the turnips and greens in a colander and then return to the empty pot (off the heat). Add the butter and heavy cream, then use a potato masher to crush everything together. Season lightly with salt and serve hot.
Per serving: 130 calories, 2 grams protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fibre, 5 g sugar