celeri remoulade

When I lived in Paris I used to treat myself to celeri remoulade from the traiteur every now and then. Once I'd got a job. It was long ago and far away, and I never thought to look for it in the supermarket, but it's never the same. It is one of my fantasy foods, and for a long time I've tried to make it, and failed. I think I thought it was all more mysterious than it is. I've finally done it.

Celeriac is an unattractive veg, usually about the same size as a large swede, or rutabaga as they call it in the US. It's very knobbly and a bit slimy when you peel it, in general it's rather weird. When you buy it avoid one with any soft bits if possible. If you find any, just cut them out.

What does it taste like? The flavour is particular, it is sweet, slightly rooty, with a little touch of aniseed. The texture in remoulade is firm, a bit like a part cooked carrot, because the veg is blanched and then steeped in the dressing. So you have to make it in advance.

I've seen recipes which add capers or gherkins into the sauce. Go ahead if you like that kind of thing. The remoulade that I like is a very mustardy maionnaise. I make it with a whole celeriac, which is enough for a week or a party of people as a starter. So I'm giving the recipe for a quarter of a large celeriac - make the rest into soup (recipe to follow).

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 heaped tbsp maionnaise
1/4 celeriac (peeled)
pepper and salt

• Cut the peeled celeriac into strips/matchsticks no more than 2mm across, or grate it. You could use a peeler to make shavings. (I cut it with a knife, it's a kind of meditation) 
• Pour freshly boiling water over the prepped celeriac and let sit for a moment then drain thoroughly - this softens it a little but not too much
• Prepare your maionnaise mixture to taste
• Mix together the celeriac, finely chopped onion and mustardy mayo taste and adjust seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon juice if it seems too rich.
• If you have the patience let the mixture sit for a while for the flavours to soak in.

Eat as part of a mixed salad. Goes particularly well with sliced cooked beetroot and cucumber. You could prep it as part of a hors d'oeuvre with champignons a la Grecque.

Lately I've been mixing my maio with 0% fat Greek yoghurt, which is also very nice.