Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 450 g celery root, peeled and diced
- 450 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 garlic
- 60 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 ml heavy cream, warmed
Pantry Staples
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 346 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 61 mg
- Potassium
- 1233 mg
- Calcium
- 119 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 249 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 205 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 39 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 24 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Slice the top quarter off the garlic head to expose the raw cloves. Wrap the head tightly in aluminum foil.
Roast the foil-wrapped garlic in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until completely soft and deeply caramelized.
While the garlic roasts, peel and dice the celery root and gold potatoes into even 2.5cm pieces.
Place the diced vegetables in a large pot of generously salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat and simmer the vegetables for 20 minutes, or until very tender.
Drain the vegetables well in a colander, then return them to the warm, empty pot off the heat for 2 minutes to evaporate residual steam.
Carefully unwrap the roasted garlic and squeeze the soft cloves directly out of their skins into the pot with the hot vegetables.
Add the room temperature butter and warmed heavy cream. Use a potato masher to puree the mixture until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
Chef's Notes
- Celery root oxidizes quickly once peeled. If you are not boiling it immediately, submerge the cut pieces in cold water with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Warming the heavy cream before adding it to the mash prevents the starches in the potatoes from seizing, ensuring a silkier texture.
- For an even finer, restaurant-quality puree, press the boiled vegetables through a potato ricer or a fine-mesh tamis before folding in the cream, butter, and garlic.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk or cream to restore texture.
Troubleshooting
Mash is watery or thin
Cause: Vegetables were not drained thoroughly or steam was not allowed to evaporate after boiling.
Fix: Return the pot to low heat and stir constantly until excess moisture cooks off and the mash thickens.
Prevention: Always return boiled root vegetables to the hot pot for a few minutes after draining to dry them out before mashing.
Cultural Context
Root vegetable purees, often combining standard potatoes with earthier companions like celeriac, turnip, or rutabaga, are a classic staple of provincial French cooking. The addition of deeply roasted garlic modernizes the rustic dish, transforming humble winter storage crops into a luxurious accompaniment.
