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Roasted celeriac with grilled chanterelles, chicory dukkah and herb cream
Serves 6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- approx. 30 chicory leaves, alternatively, dandelion, radicchio or other bitter leaves
- 2tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 small celeriac
For the herb cream
- 10g fresh mixed herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and dill
- juice 1⁄2 lemon
- 3tbsp olive oil
- 100ml crème fraîche
For the grilled chanterelles
- 150-200g chanterelles
- 2-3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1tbsp rapeseed or peanut oil
To serve
- chicory dukkah (see recipe, below) or regular dukkah chicory flowers
For the chicory dukkah
- 3tbsp sweet almonds
- 8 walnuts
- 1tbsp sunflower seeds
- 1tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1tsp coriander seeds
- 1tsp nigella seeds
- 1tsp dried chicory root
- 1tsp salt
Method
Soak the chicory leaves in some salt and vinegar. Leave to stand until ready to serve.
Add charcoal or firewood to half the barbecue so that you have space to roast the celeriac using indirect heat later. Light the barbecue and, once it is burning strongly, place the celeriac onto the grill so that the outer layer burns. Then, place the celeriac on the side away from the flames. Close the lid and roast using indirect heat for 90 minutes until the celeriac feels soft when you press the skin. You can measure the core temperature – it should preferably be above 60C.
Make the herb cream. Using a hand-held blender or food processor, blend the herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the herb mix into a mixing bowl, add the crème fraîche and mix thoroughly to combine.
Trim and brush away any dirt from the chanterelles. Place them in a bowl together with the garlic. Add the rapeseed oil, season with salt and pepper and turn over. Then, place the chanterelles in a double strainer and put this on the grill or hold it over the glow. Occasionally shake the strainer, and pour a little oil on at intervals. Open after a few minutes and check whether the mushrooms have taken on any colour. They will be done when they turn a lovely golden brown. Set aside.
Remove the chicory leaves from the water and dry them on kitchen paper or with a salad spinner.
Peel the celeriac once they have cooled slightly. You can usually do this with your fingers, but you can otherwise cut the skin off using a knife. Try to keep as much as possible of the roasted vegetable just inside the skin intact. Cut each celeriac into 4 pieces.
Dollop a generous spoonful of herb cream onto each plate, sprinkle 2tbsp of dukkah and add 2 pieces of celeriac to each. Top with chicory leaves and mushrooms. Garnish with the flowers or a suitable herb.
For the chicory sukkah
MAKES 1 SMALL JAR
Put a dry frying pan on a medium heat and add the nuts, sunflower, sesame and coriander seeds. Roast for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Stir occasionally to ensure it does not burn. Take off the heat.
Place in a food processor and add the nigella seeds, chicory and salt. Run a few blitzes or pulses – it should be in small pieces but not too finely chopped. Store in a dry, airtight container.
This recipe was taken from the June/July 2020 issue of Food and Travel.
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