Why Celery Root?

Let’s be clear: the star of the show here is the celery root slaw. Don’t like celery? Never heard of celery root?  

You should know from the start: this isn’t that same bitter, watery taste you find in celery. In fact, celery root is more akin to other root vegetables. Think of it as a sweeter, nuttier, more more earthy version of celery, or a milder form of parsnip.

The best part of all: while celery root has a much lower carb profile than potatoes, it still has that starchy, of-the-ground flavor and packs a mean nutritional punch. You could even think of it as a healthier version of the potato.

Julia Child described it best:

“That big, brown, knobby, ugly vegetable known as celery root or celeriac is almost snowy white inside and makes a marvelous salad and accompaniment to smoked or broiled fish, cold cuts, and other vegetables.”

Which gets us to the root of the root! We’ll be serving this delicious veggie as a slaw over roasted salmon to make the most delectable, low carb dinner you’ll have this week!

Low Carb Celery Root Slaw Over Roasted Salmon

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1⁄4 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 lemons
• 1 small Empire apple, cored and thinly sliced - optional: do not include if you want a lower carb meal
• 1 medium celery root, peeled, and cut into long, thin strips
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 (8-ounce) portions skin-on salmon fillet, pin bones removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Freshly ground white pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
2. Sectioning the lemons: Slice off the top and bottom of each lemon; then set them upright on the cutting board. Cut down the length of each lemon all around, in essence peeling it, removing both the layer of skin and the white pith underneath. Cut the lemon flesh into sections, slicing between the membranes to remove the wedges of lemon, leaving behind fibrous pieces and pits. Squeeze any juice from the empty membranes into a bowl with the sections and discard the membranes.
3. Making the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, skim milk, poppy seeds, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the celery root, apple slices, lemon sections, and parsley. Season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
4. Preparing the salmon: Use half of the olive oil to grease the bottom of a roasting pan. Arrange the salmon fillets, skin side down, in the pan. Dot with butter and drizzle the rest of the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cooking the salmon: Roast the salmon in the center of the oven until medium-rare, about 8 minutes. (For well-done, leave it in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.) Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the salmon to a serving platter. Set the salmon aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. When ready to serve, arrange the slaw on top of the salmon.