Celeriac on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Celeriac (''Apium graveolens'' var. ''rapaceum''), also called celery root, knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery (although it is not a close relative of the
Typically, celeriac is harvested when its hypocotyl is in diameter. However, a growing trend (specifically in
Nutritional Summary for Celeriac , cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
* {{Authority control Edible Apiaceae Root vegetables Celery de:Echter Sellerie#Knollensellerie it:Sedano rapa
turnip
The turnip or white turnip (''Brassica rapa'' subsp. ''rapa'') is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. The word ''turnip'' is a compound (linguistics), compound of ''turn'' as in turned/r ...
), is a variety of celery cultivated for its edible stem or hypocotyl, and shoots. Celeriac is like a root vegetable except it has a bulbous hypocotyl with many small roots attached.
In the Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...
and in Northern Europe, celeriac is widely cultivated. It is also cultivated in North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...
, Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part o ...
, Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...
, and North America. In North America, the 'Diamant' cultivar predominates.
History
Celeriac and celery originated in the Mediterranean Basin. It was mentioned in the ''Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
''
and ''Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...
''
as ''selinon''.
''Σέλινον'' has been translated by Lattimore as "the parsley that grows in wet places,"
by Murray as " parsley of the marsh,"
and by Butler as "wild celery Wild celery is a common name for several plants. It can refer to:
* Wild growing forms of celery, ''Apium graveolens''
* ''Angelica archangelica'', cultivated as a vegetable and medicinal plant
* Lovage, ''Levisticum officinale'', sometimes known a ...
."
Celeriac was grown as a medicinal crop in some early civilizations. Celery contains a plant compound called apigenin
Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), found in many plants, is a natural product belonging to the flavone class that is the aglycone of several naturally occurring glycosides. It is a yellow crystalline solid that has been used to dye wool.
...
, which was used in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Culinary use
Typically, celeriac is harvested when its hypocotyl is in diameter. However, a growing trend (specifically in South American cuisine
South American cuisine has many influences, due to the ethnic fusion of South America. The most characteristic are Native American, African, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Indian-South Asian. However, there is a mix of European, North Am ...
, particularly Peruvian
Peruvians ( es, peruanos) are the citizens of Peru. There were Andean and coastal ancient civilizations like Caral, which inhabited what is now Peruvian territory for several millennia before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century; Peruvian p ...
) is to use the immature vegetable, valued for its intensity of flavour and tenderness overall. It is edible raw or cooked, and tastes similar to the leaf stalks of common celery cultivars. Celeriac may be roasted, stewed, or blanched, and may be mashed. Sliced celeriac is used as an ingredient in soup
Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling soli ...
s, casseroles, and other savory dishes. The leaves (both the stalks and the blades) of the vegetable are quite flavoursome, and aesthetically delicate and vibrant, which has led to their use as a garnish in contemporary fine dining
Fine may refer to:
Characters
* Sylvia Fine (''The Nanny''), Fran's mother on ''The Nanny''
* Officer Fine, a character in ''Tales from the Crypt'', played by Vincent Spano
Legal terms
* Fine (penalty), money to be paid as punishment for an off ...
.
The shelf life of celeriac is approximately six to eight months if stored between , and not allowed to dry out. However, the vegetable will tend to rot through the centre if the finer stems surrounding the base are left attached. If celeriac is not fresh its centre becomes hollow, though even when freshly harvested there can be a small medial hollow. The freshness will also be obvious from the taste; the older it is, the weaker the celery flavour.
See also
* List of vegetables * List of root vegetablesExplanatory notes
References
External links
Nutritional Summary for Celeriac , cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
* {{Authority control Edible Apiaceae Root vegetables Celery de:Echter Sellerie#Knollensellerie it:Sedano rapa