SLOW BAKED CELERIAC AND LEEK

If you’re not familiar cooking celeriac, this recipe is an easy start with minimal preparation for a creamy tender result. It is inspired by an Ottolenghi dish who in turn was inspired by a Turkish way of slow cooking vegetables bathed in olive oil. Here leek, aromatics of parsley, thyme and bay and verjuice are the flavour enhancers. Adding chestnuts are not essential, but give a touch of earthiness and nuttiness to the dish.

serves 6-8

800g-1kg celeriac, washed

1 leek, dark green tops removed

4 garlic cloves, halved

Peel of a lemon, pith removed

4 sprigs flat leaf parsley

4 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

½ cup chestnuts, cooked and peeled (optional)

Juice of a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

125ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil

125ml (½ cup) verjuice (or ¼ cup verjuice and juice of an orange juice and peel of an orange when available)

125ml (½ cup) vegetable or chicken stock

2 teaspoons honey, warmed

Sea salt

Black pepper

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

100g Main Ridge Dairy marinated feta, crumbled

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

Trim celeriac across the top and base, to sit flat, removing the nobbling bits, then cut into wedges (about 4cm at widest part). Peeling the skin is optional. Cut along the leek into 2cm wide rounds.

Spread the celeriac, leek and garlic over the base of a roasting dish (about 30 x 25cm). Scatter over the peel, herbs and chestnuts, if using, around the vegetables. Pour over the lemon juice, olive oil, verjuice, stock and honey. Season with salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Cover with foil and seal the edges. Bake for 1 ½ hours, removing after 30 minute to baste with cooking juices and turn over the celeriac pieces. Replace the foil and bake a further 30 minutes. Repeat the basting and turning the celeriac step again and bake a final 30 minutes. Remove the foil and set aside 15 minutes.

To serve, transfer to a large platter then scatter over the feta and chopped parsley.

Recipe by Fiona Hammond, May 2025