Nourishing the mind, body, and soul along the vegan highway.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Going where we've never gone before!

DH and I decided it was time to try something new, go where we have never gone before, and expand our horizons with new and different foods. Now I know that many of you out there are much more adventurous and these will not be new to you, but we have to start somewhere. DH and I were watching the Christmas special on Food Network and DH got his first new food recipe to try, Parsnip Puree. For those of you who do not know my DH is a very sweet omni, but willing to try everything. Off to the store we went in search of our new ingredients.


With that said, I bring you Mr. Organic Celery Root also known as
Celeriac and Vegetable Octopus.
Wikipedia definition: Celeriac may be used raw or cooked. It has a tough, furrowed, outer surface which is usually sliced off before use because it is too rough to peel. Celeriac has a celery flavour, and is often used as a flavouring in soups and stews; it can also be used on its own, usually mashed, or used in baked dishes. Celeriac is not as widely used as some other root vegetables, perhaps because it is harder to prepare and clean: Celeriac can leave quite an unpleasant taste in the mouth a little while after eating.

Now we can't forget the star, Mrs. Parsnip.


Wikipedia definition: Until the potato arrived from the New World, its place in dishes was occupied by the parsnip and other root vegetables. Parsnips can be boiled, roasted or used in stews, soups, and casseroles. In some cases, the parsnip is boiled and the solid portions are removed from the soup or stew, leaving behind a more subtle flavour than the whole root and contributing starch to thicken the dish. Roasted parsnip is considered an essential part of Christmas dinner in some parts of the English-speaking world. Parsnips can also be fried, or be eaten raw.

Parsnip Puree
The orginal recipe, which you can find here, has bacon, butter, and whole milk. I used Earth Balance, unsweetened soy milk, and chives.

As dinner was served, I waited to hear what DH had to say about his new found food. "Well it is very smooth and very sweet!" I had to agree with him on the sweet, but I liked our new recipe and although DH cleaned his plate, seconds were not in the future. He said, " I hope Brandie likes it because there are leftovers." Thank you DH for having such a open mind.
What will be next you ask? I already have my ingredients and will share them with you later this week. :o)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've never seen celeriac like that before (they neatly trim them in our supermarket~ more's the pity!) but I now totally understand why it's called Vegetable Octopus!

carrie said...

I love parsnips....so good. I think yours look delicious.

My DH is vegetarian, but not vegan. However, like your hubby he's cool with everything I serve, and even ok that we don't have any dairy in the house (he's never eaten eggs, and our daughter is allergic to them, so they wouldn't be in our house regardless)!!!

I tried the Vegan Turkey Roast from Everyday Dish that I saw posted here, but your's looks so much more appetizing than mine!!!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

I admire your bravery to try those foods!! :-D

Virginia said...

i have never had a parsnip so that is a new food for me, too!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

I'd never tried a parsnip until two years ago, but now I adore them! They're definitely deserving of the title "Yumlicious"!

aredcardigan said...

Okay...you need to seriously hand me a plate....

YUMS!

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

My husband loves celeriac puree! He asks for it often.

Anonymous said...

Yumm! That looks awesome!
And thanks, I think that I MIGHT be changing to wordpress- if I can ever figure it out!

Rural Vegan said...

Good for you guys expanding your horizons! Sometimes I have to remember to try new things too, even if they're as ugly as celery root!

My grandmother used to cook with both celeriac and parsnips all the time. Neither of them are easy for me to find at the grocer anymore, but I love them!

I can't find TVP chunks local anywhere. I found them in the bulk foods at a co-op in North Carolina on my last visit there. I bought 5 pounds and stuffed it into my suitcase! I know they can be purchased online but I was so excited to see them in person I couldn't help myself!

Bethany said...

looks yummy!

I got some parsnips tonight. I felt I didn't have enough of them the last time I had some :) for some reason they are really tiny this year. typically they are super jumbo.

Anonymous said...

Parsnips have a very sweet, spicy, and distinctive flavor. It does remind me of the holiday season, and would probably make a good addition to a dessert as well.

Anonymous said...

In Germany celeriac is used instead of celery. Together with carrots and leeks it's the base for every soup. I love to eat it raw or bread it and eat it as "Schnitzel". Very good!