Cleriac Puree

One Friday, after shopping, I grabbed the BF and demanded that we not rush home, that I don't cook, that we have a completely relaxed evening out drinking hidiously expensive wines, eating expertly prepared food, and ignoring the cost.

A long discussion followed, but we settled on DE KAAI as it had never failed to please... and it gives me a chance to practice my Flemish, as the BF is as blind as a bat so I have to read it out loud.

I've linked to the place above, but don't be dispointed by the web site, the food is much, much, much better than the website suggests, and the restaurant has a very good atmosphere, despite the pictures giving the impression it is somewhat cold.

So, it was great food, but the revelation was celeriac, something I had seen when shopping, and read in recipes, but never actually tried. Shame on me!

Anyway, I went to the kitchen and the chef agreed to give me the recipe if I could best him at wrestling; best of three falls. Normally I play to lose, but I really wanted the recipe.

So this is what he told me, this is what I made, and this is what I keep in the freezer on standby.

Ingredients

1 Celeriac
2 medium sized potatos
3 pints of milk
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of unslated butter
a small white truffle

1. Peel the celeriac, and cut in to 1/2"x1/2 cubes, do the same with the potatos

2. place both in the milk and bring to the boil, reduce heat and let simmer until soft

3. Drain and discard the milk. Puree the celeriac and potato. Now some like their purees to be smooth, so the chopping blades of a food processor can be used. I prefer a chunkier feel to my mash, so I put the lot through my Kenwood Chef mincer, or I mash by hand.

4. Be warned, a lot of excess liquid is produced, so you may want to wrap the lot in a cheesecloth and squeeze the excess out (I actually go in to the garden and swing it around my head, using Centrifugal force to get rid of the water....but then, i don't care what the neighbours think).

5. When the puree is nice and dry, season to taste, then put in the freezer for later use.

6. When you want to use it, defrost as normal, and just before serving fork the butter in to the mash. Then grate white truffle over the top, and serve.

By the way, white truffle should never be cooked. Truffle oils, as many people recommend are good enough, but white truffle is always best frashly grated.

And I make the unsalted butter myself. i get creamc from a local dairy and use the whipping attachment on the Kenwood. Yes, it does make a difference. I wont bore you with the details.