Adapted from Fire and Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking by Darra Goldstein

Serves 4

This ancient culinary technique still resonates today. When you smear celery root, or celeriac, with a paste of salt and ash, the interior turns out creamy, with smoky undertones. Cracking it open at the table will add a touch of drama and expose the perfectly seasoned and tender flesh.

You can use ash from a regular fireplace or grill if it comes from untreated hardwood. I used juniper ash sourced from Shimá of Navajoland. You can make your own ash as well. Lois Ellen Frank of Red Mesa Cuisine details the process in her cookbook Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant-Based Recipes using Native American Ingredients, and also has an instructional YouTube video.

Print Recipe

Salt-and-Ash-Baked Celery Root

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 small celery root (about 14 ounces), scrubbed
  • 2 1/2 cups sea salt
  • 3 –4 ounces wood ash
  • 1/2 cup water, or as needed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a small bowl, stir together salt, ash, and water to make a paste that holds together when you squeeze it with your hand (the amount of water will depend on how dense the ash is).
  • Cover the celery root with the paste, pressing it down so that it adheres. Place the celery root in a baking dish. Bake until you can easily insert a small knife, about 2 hours.
  • Just before the celery root comes out of the oven, melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, and stir in the parsley. Set aside.
  • Remove celery root from the oven and place on a serving dish. Serve whole at the table and crack the crust with a meat mallet or the heel of a knife. Use a spoon to scoop out the celeriac and drizzle the parsley butter over the top. Celery root can also be sliced and served in individual portions.