Celeriac 313
17.1 Introduction and description
Celeriac (Apium graveolens var rapaceum) is a strain of celery, which is native to
Europe and parts of Asia. It is found growing wild in all temperate zones. It is also
known as knob celery, celery root and turnip rooted celery. The plant is similar to
celery but the principal difference between them is that in celeriac the root is developed
into a mass resembling a turnip, is easier to grow and has the characteristic flavour
of celery. It is much better for flavouring in general cookery and for eating as a
cooked vegetable. The plant produces the large beet-like root, which is used as a
vegetable and spice; the stem and leaves are discarded. It does not produce roots until
the season is set in. It starts to swell and becomes large in October and during the
earlier months it produces only leafy growth. Originally it had a disagreeable taste
and odour but in the cultivated varieties these traits have entirely vanished. The
essential oil has the odour and flavour of celery. In ancient times, the plant was
grown as a medicinal crop and only recently has it been used as a food plant. It is
eaten as a raw salad, as a cooked vegetable and for flavouring the food.
It is a biennial plant belonging to the family Umbelliferae and resembles beet in
appearance. The economic part is its enlarged root, which develops at ground level.
This root has a brown skin with white interior. It is smaller than celery and has very
dark green foliage. The flavour of the root tastes like a blend of celery and parsley.
Celeriac is mainly used as a cooked vegetable or raw in salads but is usually boiled
before use. It is used in innumerable recipes usually after blanching in boiled salt
water for five minutes and cooled rapidly. It is also used as a garnish or stuffed as a
major part of a meal. The leaf stalks after they are pulled off can be boiled and served
like seakale. Many use celeriac in soups and stews. The seeds have medicinal properties
and are used as a tonic and an aphrodisiac.
17 Celeriac......................................................................................................
A. A. Farooqi, C. Kathiresan and K. N. Srinivasappa, University of
Agricultural Sciences, India