Celeriac

Not to be confused with Coeliac disease.
Apium graveolens var. rapaceum
A celeriac hypocotyl sliced in half, and with the greens removed
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Apium
Species: A. graveolens
Variety: rapaceum
Cultivars[1][2]
  • Bergers White Ball
  • Diamant
  • Giant Prague
  • Goliath
  • Ibis
  • Kojak
  • Monarch
  • Prinz
  • Snow White

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum), also called turnip-rooted celery[3] or knob celery, is a variety of celery cultivated for its edible roots, hypocotyl, and shoots. It is sometimes called celery root.[4]

It was mentioned in Homer's Odyssey as selinon.[5]

Celeriac is a root vegetable with a bulbous hypocotyl. In the Mediterranean Basin and in Northern Europe, celeriac grows wild and is widely cultivated.[2][3] It is also cultivated in North Africa, Siberia, Southwest Asia, and North America.[2] In North America, the Diamant cultivar predominates.[6] Celeriac originated in the Mediterranean Basin.[2]

Culinary use

Typically, celeriac is harvested when its hypocotyl is 10–14 cm in diameter.[6] However, a growing trend (specifically in Peruvian and South American cuisine) 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 stalks (the upper part of the stem) of common celery cultivars. Celeriac may be roasted, stewed, blanched, or mashed. Sliced celeriac occurs as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes. The leaves and stems 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 °C (32 °F) and 5 °C (41 °F), and not allowed to dry out.[7] However, the vegetable will tend to rot through the centre if the finer stems surrounding the base are left attached. The freshness of the vegetable can be determined by viewing the hollowness of the vegetable; a fresh celeriac should not have a hollow centre.[7] The freshness of the vegetable will also be obvious from the taste; the older the vegetable, the less potent the celery flavour.

"A bowl of celeriac soup"
A bowl of celeriac soup.
Celeriac (raw)
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
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
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
Water 88 g
Link to USDA Database entry
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Growing Crops: Celery and Celeriac". Urban Organic Gardening. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Schuchert, Wolfgang. "Celeriac (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum)". Crop Exhibition. Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  3. 1 2  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Celery". Encyclopædia Britannica. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 500.
  4. ↑ Watson, Molly. "All About Celery Root (Celeriac)". localfoods.about.com. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "eat celery root". eattheseasons.com. 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Celeriac (Apium graveolens rapaceum)". Desirable Vegetable Varieties, By Vegetable. The Owlcroft Company. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  7. 1 2 "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

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