Celeriac

I love my CSA box. It's a bit like celebrating the good parts of my birthday every Tuesday during the growing season. The surprises are good, ripe tomatoes, and winter squash. We get carrots, potatoes, celery and broccoli that tastes nothing like its brethren in the grocery store. But 4 years into our CSA, I'm still occasionally perplexed. I haven't come up with a great use for kholrabi. We don't hate it, but usually I just grate it into some hash browns. We send the beets to our neighbors.

This year, the celeriac came earlier in the season than I remember in years past. In the midst of the some indian summer, mashed potatoes with celeriac just weren't on my radar. So I ended up with this recipe from Angelic Organics -- I tempered its beige-ness by putting it on a bed of arugula.

Celeriac and Apple Salad with Tarragon and Toasted Walnuts

4 c. water
juice 1 lemon

2 tart apples, cored and cut into thin slices
1 large celeriac, peeled, cut into matchsticks.
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted

1 1/2tbsp white wine or rice vinegar
2 1/2tbsp mayonnaise
1tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt

Combine water and lemon in a large bowl. Add celeriac and apple and let stand for 15 minutes.

Drain celeriac and apple mixture, return to bowl. Add vinegar and toss.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour dressing over apple mixture and toss to coat. Add walnuts and toss again. Chill at least one hour, preferably 2-3 hours before serving.