Celery Root Puree

With Ken Duckworth

This tasty root vegetable is peeled, boiled and pureed like mashed potatoes. It is then served as a bed for citrus salad and a piece of pan seared cod. Chef Ken Duckworth of Duckworth Bistro and Duckworth's Beach Gourmet prepares this with a light cream.

Ingredients

For the Celery Root Puree:
2-3 large celery root
1/3 cup light cream

For the Citrus Salad:
2 ruby red grapefruit
3 blood oranges
1 head of celery
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped chives
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

For the Celery Root Puree:
1. With chef knife cut away knobby end of celery root. Put cut side flat on board to provide stable foundation. Carefully cut away remaining skin to reveal white flesh of celery root.
2. Cut into medium size chunks. Add to medium pot, cover with water and season water with salt. Then turn heat on high.
3. Celery root will get soft. They should look and feel like potatoes before you mash them.
4. Add to food processor with cream. Blend till smooth and season with salt and pepper.

For the Citrus Salad:
1. Zest all citrus and reserve.
2. Cut away all skin and pith leaving only the citrus segments. With knife follow lines in fruit to cut away segments.
3. Squeeze juice out of remaining citrus “carcass”. Reserve juice.
4. Pull away outer ribs of celery (reserve for soups or stocks) and save all celery leaves.
5. Take 4 inner ribs and cut on bias 1/8 inch thick.
6. Toss celery, celery leaves, segments, zest, juice, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and chives all together. Check seasoning.

Serving suggestion: On each plate place warm celery root purée in center and create a nest by pushing down in center. Put salad in center of purée and fish on top of salad.

Recipe courtesy of Ken Duckworth, Duckworths Bistrot and Duckworth Beach Gourmet, 2010.

From Food For Thought column by Heather Atwood;

The chef and owner of Duckworth's Bistrot and Duckworth Beach Gourmet, both in Gloucester, is well over 6 feet tall, a lean, quiet presence that seems infused with gastronomic seriousness. "I never spend any money on knives," Ken said, slicing the air as he ran the blade first down one side of a steel and then the other. "I just sharpen them almost every time I use them."

Ken worked at the famed Maison Robert, and ultimately became executive chef there. So when the Roberts finally closed the doors on the Maison Robert kitchen, "Maison Duckworth" was born on Cape Ann.

Using the European model of a family business, Ken is the chef and Nicole, self-taught, prepares the desserts. They live above the restaurant with their two children, one flight of stairs connecting the busy kitchen and dining room to home.

Contact Heather at heatheraa@aol.com. Her blog is at gloucestertimes.com/foodforthought