This dairy-free celery root puree has been kicked up a notch with balsamic roasted beets and sweet, pearl onions. It’s a deliciously perfect, plant-based meal.When it comes to food blogging I find myself wondering about the whole “chicken vs egg” concept. Is it that good cooks become food bloggers, or is it that food bloggers end up becoming good (or better) cooks?
For me, I have to say it’s probably more of the latter. I mean, I’ve always been a decent cook, but since becoming a food blogger (which, I still find so funny to say!) I find myself stretching my culinary boundaries. Using ingredients that I sorta know about….but not really. Because I need new ideas. And textures. And flavors. So I experiment.
Ingredients
Balsamic Roasted Beets and Pearl Onions4 beets
1 1/2 cups pearl onions
3 tbsp olive oil, (divided)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
Celery Root Puree
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups celery root, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
2/3 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste
Topping2 cups microgreens
Method
* Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
* If using a jar/can of pearl onions, drain and rinse. If using fresh pearl onions, soak in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to loosen the skin. Using a pairing knife, cut off the ends and remove the outer skin. Place onto a large baking sheet and set aside.
* Using a vegetable peeler, peel the beets and place on a non-wood cutting board (a wood cutting board will stain). Slice the beets into quarters or evenly sized pieces and add to the baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the middle of the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice midway through.
* Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, herbs and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
* While the beets are cooking, heat the olive oil in a pot on medium-high heat and saute the garlic for one minute. Add the chopped celery root, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
* Turn the stove off and use a stick blender to puree the celery root mixture until smooth. Cover the pot to keep warm until ready to serve. (*Alternatively, pour the ingredients into a high-powered blender to puree).
* Once the beets and onions have cooked, drizzle the balsamic mixture on the baking sheet, toss to combine and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
* Serve by scooping a portion of the celery root puree into a bowl and topping with roasted beets, pearl onions and a handful of microgreens.