Celery Root Purée With Truffle Butter Recipes

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TRUFFLED POTATO CELERY ROOT PUREE

Steps:

• Melt the unsalted butter in a medium (10-inch) saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the potatoes, celery root, heavy cream, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Be careful?don't let the vegetables scorch on the bottom of the pan!
• In two batches, pour the leek and potato mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Return the puree to the saute pan, stir in the truffle butter, taste for seasonings, and keep warm over very low heat. If the puree gets too thick, add a little more heavy cream.
• If it hasn't already been removed, peel off the tough strip of muscle on the side of each scallop. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and, when the oil is almost smoking hot, add the scallops in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms. Don't crowd the scallops or they'll steam rather than sear. Using a small metal spatula, turn the scallops and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until just cooked through.
• Spoon the warm puree onto 3 dinner plates. Place the scallops on the puree, drizzle with the basil oil, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve warm.

CELERY-ROOT PURéE WITH TRUFFLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Cover celery root and potatoes with cold salted water by 2 inches in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, then simmer, covered, until celery root is very tender, about 15 minutes.
• While vegetables are simmering, bring cream, truffle butter, salt, and pepper just to a simmer, stirring until butter is melted.
• Drain vegetables in a colander and transfer to a food processor. Add hot cream mixture in a steady stream, pulsing until smooth. (Alternatively, mash vegetables with hot cream mixture using a potato masher.)

CELERY ROOT PUREE

Steps:

• Place celery root, 1/2 of the lemon juice, and kosher salt in a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Blend celery root, cream, and butter in a blender until smooth. Push puree into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer with a wooden spoon or spatula until puree is completely smooth. Drizzle remaining lemon juice into puree and season with salt and cayenne pepper.

BRAISED CELERY ROOT PURéE WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small pot, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the porcini and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and set aside. Rinse and chop the mushrooms.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and add all but 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Peel, quarter and cut the celery root into 1/4-inch-thick slices and add to the water.
• Place a large, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil, then add the leek, onion, garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
• Drain the celery root and add it to the onion mixture with the reserved mushroom broth and milk. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise until the celery root is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Using a blender or immersion blender, carefully blend the mixture to a smooth purée. (For a finer texture, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.) Place the pot over low heat and simmer until it reaches the consistency of porridge. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté until the water releases and evaporates. Add the rehydrated porcini and chopped thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, place a few spoonfuls of the purée on each plate and drizzle with truffle oil, if using. Top with mushrooms and Parmesan.

TRUFFLED BAY SCALLOPS WITH CELERY PURéE

Steps:

• Make celery purée:
• Simmer broth, celery, potato, onion, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small heavy saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add parsley and cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Purée mixture in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Keep warm in saucepan.
• Cook scallops:
• Pat scallops dry and season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté scallops until barley cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add truffle butter and stir until melted, then transfer scallops with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Stir celery purée into truffle butter in skillet. Spoon onto plates, then mound scallops in center and sprinkle with celery leaves.
• Do Ahead
• Purée (without truffle butter) can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a microwave or in a saucepan over low heat before stirring into truffle butter.

CELERY ROOT-POTATO PURéE

Steps:

• Put the celery root, potatoes and garlic cloves in a soup pot. Cover with cold water and salt generously, then boil over medium-high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and press through a ricer or the large holes of a food mill, then return to the pot. (If you prefer a rough-textured purée, mash with an electric beater or a hand-held potato-masher.)
• Over medium-low heat, whisk in the milk or half-and-half until the thickness of the purée is to your liking. It shouldn't be too stiff. Whisk in the butter and incorporate. Taste for salt and adjust. Make sure the purée is heated through. May be made up to 2 hours in advance, held at room temperature, and reheated in a double boiler.

CELERY ROOT PURéE

Steps:

• Bring milk, water, and salt just to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Add celery root cubes, potato cubes, and onion quarters; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, discarding cooking liquid.
• Combine vegetables and butter in processor and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Do ahead Celery root puree can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm in microwave before serving.
• Transfer celery root puree to bowl. Sprinkle with chopped fresh chives and serve.

CELERY-ROOT PUREE

Steps:

• Place the celery root in a baking dish, dot with the butter and cover. Microwave at high - stirring once -until the celery root is soft and gives no resistance when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer the celery root to the bowl of a food processor. Add the cream and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning. (This can be prepared ahead earlier in the day and reheated.)