Thick roasted celeriac slices on earthy lentils with a sharp herb sauce.
Serves 4 | Preparation: 25 minutes | Cooking: 45 minutes | Total: 70 minutes
Times include any chilling, resting or cooling stated below. Oven temperatures are conventional; reduce by 20°C for a fan oven.
Ingredients
1 large celeriac (about 1 kg)
4 tbsp olive oil, for roasting
250 g green or brown lentils
1 carrot, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
60 g parsley, leaves only
2 tbsp capers
1 garlic clove
1 tsp Dijon mustard
5 tbsp olive oil, for the salsa
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C. Peel the celeriac and cut into 4 thick slices (about 2 cm). Brush with oil, season with half the salt and roast, turning once, until tender and golden, about 45 minutes.
Soften the onion and carrot in a little oil, add the lentils and cover with water. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes, drain if needed and season.
Chop the parsley, capers and garlic finely, or blitz briefly. Stir in the mustard, vinegar and oil. Taste and adjust.
Spoon the lentils onto plates, lay the celeriac on top and spoon over the salsa verde.
Variations and substitutions
Offcuts from shaping the steaks make good soup. Celeriac keeps for months in a cool store.
Replace parsley with a mixture of parsley and mint. Check capers and mustard labels, and omit mustard if needed.
Homegrown and seasonal produce
Choose a firm celeriac and scrub it before peeling. Use the offcuts in soup rather than discarding them; the steaks should be evenly thick.
Storage and freezing
Cool cooked food promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or below. Eat within 48 hours. Freeze suitable portions for up to 3 months; defrost in the fridge, use within 24 hours and reheat once until piping hot throughout.
Explore our growing guides and From Garden to Kitchen guide. Plan your next harvest with Your Growing Companion.
Stock photograph illustrating the ingredients or a serving idea.
