Salt-baked celeriac

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 3. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the egg whites and 3tbsp of warm water into the well and mix into the flour to form a smooth dough. Turn out and knead into a ball. Dust the work surface with flour, then roll out the dough into a round around 1cm thick.

Wrap the dough around the celeriac, ensuring there are no tears or holes, then pinch the gathered edges together to seal. Lay the wrapped celeriac on a baking tray, sealed-side down, and bake for 11/2 hours. Drizzle the lemon halves with a little olive oil, add to the tray, cut-side up, and roast for a further hour. Remove from the oven and leave the celeriac to stand for around 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread out all the ingredients for the dukkah, except the salt, on a separate baking tray and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then grind to a coarse powder with a pestle and mortar. Stir in the salt and set aside. Once the lemon is cool enough to handle, make the dressing. Remove the pips and finely chop the skin and flesh. Pour over the 2tbsp olive oil and mash together to make a paste.

Scrape the paste into a sieve and use the back of a spoon to press out the liquid into a large bowl. Whisk in 1tbsp water and the mustard, then season to taste. Crack the salt-pastry crust around the celeriac and carefully peel it away. Slice the celeriac into wedges, arrange on a warmed serving plate and drizzle over the dressing. Sprinkle over some of the dukkah and serve.

Note: This recipe makes more dukkah than is needed. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard. Serve with warm flatbreads and good olive oil for dipping or sprinkle over houmous to add extra flavour and texture. It will last for a good week; any longer and the flavours will start to dull a little.