I hope we are beyond the days of poor vegetarian and vegan offerings in our restaurants, especially at Christmas – even if we must call them plant-based, as their other denominations seem to conjure such enmity and antagonism. Plant-based, or plant-forward, as long as it doesn’t come out of a laboratory and bleed all over the dinner table, is fine.
For those looking for a vegetarian or vegan alternative to turkey and ham on Christmas Day, look no further than a roasted whole celeriac. It will give you all the pleasure of a roasted piece of meat, and you can even carve it table-side if you so wish.
How to make roasted Christmas celeriac
This recipe can be done in two ways, or rather with two different marinades. One draws on Ireland and the other draws on Japan, but both have a similar outcome and taste. The Irish marinade is made with apple balsamic vinegar and apple syrup from Highbank Orchard in Kilkenny. Combine 100ml of each with 50ml of whiskey and bring to the boil to reduce a little. To this mixture you can add fresh thyme, garlic and spices, such as star anise.
The Japanese marinade is base is on a teriyaki sauce. In a pot, combine 150ml of sake, soy and mirin along with any herbs or spices you like. Reduce until it looks like a light syrup.
Peel the celeriac (a big one should feed four to six as a main course, depending on what you’re serving it alongside). Brush the celeriac with the marinade and then place in a 180-degree oven and roast for one hour. Baste with the marinade every 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven when you can insert a knife easily through the celeriac. Rest it for five minutes and then brush with a little more marinade. Carve into six and season with cold-pressed rapeseed oil and Achill Island sea salt.
For those of you having turkey and ham, this celeriac also serves as a wonderful accompaniment. It can also be prepared the day before and kept in the fridge overnight.
