Celeriac
Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum), also called celery root,[3] knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery[4] (although it is not a close relative of the turnip), is a variety of celery cultivated for its edible stem or hypocotyl, and shoots. Celeriac is like a root vegetable except it has a bulbous hypocotyl with many small roots attached.
| Apium graveolens var. rapaceum | |
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| A celeriac hypocotyl sliced in half, and with the greens removed | |
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| Variety: | rapaceum |
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In the Mediterranean Basin and in Northern Europe, celeriac is widely cultivated.[2][4] It is also cultivated in North Africa, Siberia, Southwest Asia, and North America.[2] In North America, the 'Diamant' cultivar predominates.[5] The root is cultivated in Puerto Rico, sold locally at farmers' markets and supermarkets, and is a traditional staple of the Puerto Rican kitchen.[6]
History
Celeriac originated in the Mediterranean Basin.[2] It was mentioned in the Iliad[7] and Odyssey[8] as selinon.[notes 1]
Culinary use
Typically, celeriac is harvested when its hypocotyl is 10 to 14 centimetres (4 to 5 1⁄2 inches) in diameter.[5] However, a growing trend (specifically in South American cuisine, particularly Peruvian) is to use the immature vegetable, valued for its intensity of flavour and tenderness overall. It is edible raw or cooked, and tastes similar to the leaf stalks of common celery cultivars. Celeriac may be roasted, stewed, or blanched, and may be mashed. Sliced celeriac is used as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes. The leaves (both the stalks and the blades) of the vegetable are quite flavoursome, and aesthetically delicate and vibrant, which has led to their use as a garnish in contemporary fine dining.
The shelf life of celeriac is approximately six to eight months if stored between 0 and 5 °C (32 and 41 °F), and not allowed to dry out.[9] However, the vegetable will tend to rot through the centre if the finer stems surrounding the base are left attached. If celeriac is not fresh its centre becomes hollow, though even when freshly harvested there can be a small medial hollow.[9] The freshness will also be obvious from the taste; the older it is, the weaker the celery flavour.
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 176 kJ (42 kcal) |
9.2 g | |
| Sugars | 1.6 g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.8 g |
0.3 g | |
1.5 g | |
| Vitamins | Quantity %DV† |
| Thiamine (B1) | 4% 0.05 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 5% 0.06 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 5% 0.7 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 7% 0.352 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 13% 0.165 mg |
| Vitamin C | 10% 8 mg |
| Vitamin K | 39% 41 μg |
| Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
| Calcium | 4% 43 mg |
| Iron | 5% 0.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 6% 20 mg |
| Manganese | 8% 0.158 mg |
| Phosphorus | 16% 115 mg |
| Potassium | 6% 300 mg |
| Sodium | 7% 100 mg |
| Zinc | 3% 0.33 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 88 g |
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| †Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA FoodData Central | |
Explanatory notes
- Σέλινον has been translated by Lattimore as "the parsley that grows in wet places," by Murray as "parsley of the marsh," and by Butler as "wild celery."
References
- "Growing Crops: Celery and Celeriac". Urban Organic Gardening. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- Schuchert, Wolfgang. "Celeriac (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum)". Crop Exhibition. Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- Watson, Molly. "All About Celery Root (Celeriac)". localfoods.about.com. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 500.
- "Celeriac (Apium graveolens rapaceum)". Desirable Vegetable Varieties, By Vegetable. The Owlcroft Company. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- Raíces y Tubérculos. Archived 9 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine Centro de Recursos Informativos Digitales Agrícolas de Puerto Rico (CRIDAg). University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. 2018. Accessed 8 December 2018.
- The Iliad of Homer. .
- "eat celery root". eattheseasons.com. 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- "Small-scale postharvest handling practices - A manual for horticultural crops - 3rd edition". FAO Agriculture and Consumer protection. March 1995. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
External links
- Nutritional Summary for Celeriac , cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
- "RHS Award of Garden Merit: Asparagus, Celeriac , chard, Chinese cabbage, fennel, melon, pak choi, rhubarb 2011". Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2012. (306 KB)