One-dish celery root and haloumi bake
One-dish celery root and haloumi bake
Knobby celery root, or celeriac, is one of the unsung heroes of Winter eating. It offers one of the most uniquely earthy yet savory flavors in the vegetable kingdom, concurrently bold and punchy yet also sweet and mild. It can be eaten raw, as it is in the famed celery root remoulade, or mashed like potatoes and also makes a wonderfully creamy soup. When roasted at high heat, it comes golden and smoky, with a smooth, creamy flesh.
This simple one-dish bake is as simple as it is tasty - pantry tomatoes and garlic create a quick pool for which the celery root and salty haloumi to bathe in. I like to stand the celery root slightly upright on an angle, so the tops stay out of the sauce, allowing them to become golden and a little crispy. Peel the celery root only when you are ready to add them to the sauce as they will oxidize and turn brown very quickly. If you want to prep in advance, you can soak them in some acidulated water (water with lemon juice or vinegar added) until you are ready to use. Serve with bread to mop up the sauce.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can (14.5 ounce / 411g) diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp harissa paste (or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes mixed with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
- sea salt and black pepper
- 1 large (about 1kg / 2.2 pounds) celery root (celeriac)
- ½ pound block (225g) haloumi (or grilling cheese)
- handful dill or parsley
Preheat oven to 450˚F (230˚C).
In a large baking dish (I used an oval dish that is about 12 inches long), drizzle with olive oil and then add the tomatoes, garlic, harissa, and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few turns of black pepper. Stir to combine.
Place the celery root onto a cutting board and using a sharp knife, remove the skin and knobby exterior. Slice the celery root in half lengthways down the middle (so you’ll get half- moon shapes when sliced) and then cut into ½ inch slices.
Cut the haloumi into ¼ inch slices – you’ll want to have roughly the same number of slices as your celery root (ideal, but not mandatory).
Fan the celery root slices out in the tomato sauce, sitting them on an angle and slightly upright, so the top pokes out from the sauce. Insert a piece of haloumi between each celery root slice. Drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and bake for 45 minutes, or until the celery root is tender and golden. You can test if the celery root is done by inserting a fork or skewer – if it goes in easily, it’s ready.
Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. To serve, top with dill or parsley.