Celeriac Mash Recipe James Martin

CELERIAC & POTATO MASH

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes for 20-25 mins until tender, adding the celeriac after 5 mins. Drain and press through a potato ricer back into the pan once the surface water has evaporated, or mash well with a potato masher in the dry pan.
• While the potatoes cook, melt the 140g butter over a medium heat, then sweat the spring onions for about 5 mins until soft and silky, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, then cook for another few mins until this thickens a little.
• Stir two-thirds of the creamy onions into the potato and celeriac purée. Season to taste. If making in advance, cover the surface of the mash and the sauce with cling film, then set aside. Can now be frozen or made up to a day ahead. Just before serving, gently reheat the mash and reserved sauce. Spoon the mash into a serving bowl, pour the sauce on top and turn it over a few times to loosely mix. Make a well in the centre and drop in the remaining knob of butter.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON WITH CELERIAC MASH

Steps:

• Heat a large casserole pan and add 1 tbsp goose fat.
• Season 600g large chunks of shin beef and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, then turn over and fry the other side until the meat is browned all over, adding more fat if necessary. Do this in 2-3 batches, transferring the meat to a colander set over a bowl when browned.
• In the same pan, fry 100g sliced smoked streaky bacon, 350g peeled shallots or pearl onions, 250g chestnut mushrooms, 2 sliced garlic cloves and 1 bouquet garni until lightly browned.
• Mix in 1 tbsp tomato purée and cook for a few mins, stirring the mixture. This enriches the bourguignon and makes a great base for the stew. Then return the beef and any drained juices to the pan and stir through.
• Pour over 750ml bottle red wine and about 100ml water so the meat bobs up from the liquid, but isn't completely covered. Bring to the boil and use a spoon to scrape the caramelised cooking juices from the bottom of the pan - this will give the stew more flavour.
• Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Make a cartouche: tear off a square of foil slightly larger than the casserole, arrange it in the pan so it covers the top of the stew and trim away any excess foil. Cook for 3 hrs.
• If the sauce looks watery, remove the beef and veg with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few mins until the sauce has thickened a little, then return the beef and vegetables to the pan.
• To make the celeriac mash, peel 600g celeriac and cut into cubes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the celeriac and fry for 5 mins until it turns golden. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Stir in 1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary and thyme, 2 bay leaves and 4 cardamom pods, then pour over 200ml water, enough to nearly cover the celeriac. Turn the heat to low, partially cover the pan and leave to simmer for 25-30 mins.
• After 25-30 mins, the celeriac should be soft and most of the water will have evaporated. Drain away any remaining water, then remove the herb sprigs, bay and cardamom pods.
• Lightly crush with a potato masher, then finish with a glug of olive oil and season to taste.
• Spoon the beef bourguignon into serving bowls and place a large spoonful of the celeriac mash on top. Garnish with one of the bay leaves, if you like.

CELERIAC MASH

Steps:

• Place the celeriac cubes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 12 minutes. Add the potatoes, and continue boiling until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes more. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
• Return the vegetables to the pot, and stir over medium-high heat until liquid is no longer pooling from the vegetables. Remove from the heat, and pour in the cream and butter. Mash with a potato masher until almost smooth.

SMASHED CELERIAC

Steps:

• Peel the celeriac, then slice about 1cm/½ inch off the bottom of it and roll it on to that flat edge, so it's nice and safe to slice. Slice and dice it all up into 1cm/½ inch-ish cubes. Don't get your ruler out - they don't have to be perfect.
• Put a casserole-type pot on a high heat, add 3 good lugs of olive oil, then add the celeriac. Pick in the thyme leaves and peel and finely chop the garlic, and add both with a little sea salt and black pepper. Stir around to coat and fry quite fast, giving a little colour, for 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to a simmer, add the water or stock, place a lid on top and cook for around 25 minutes, until tender.
• Season carefully to taste and stir around with a spoon to smash up the celeriac. Some people like to keep it in cubes, some like to mash it, but I think it looks and tastes much better if you smash it, which is somewhere in the middle. You can serve this with just about any meat you can think of.

CELERIAC PURéE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pan with the vegetable oil, then add the celeriac and a large pinch of salt. Cut a round piece of baking paper the same size as the pan and use to cover the celeriac. Cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the celeriac is very soft and starting to collapse. If it starts to stick, add a splash of water to the pan.
• Meanwhile, bring the double cream to the boil in a small pan.
• Tip the celeriac and butter into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Add the double cream, a splash at a time, between blends, until it is a light puréed consistency. Season and push through a fine sieve. Reheat to serve.