Celery Root Salad

Do you ever look at some of the things we eat and wonder who on earth ever dug this thing out of the ground and decided to eat it??  Celery root is a case in point.  Would you eat this thing?

And yet, it's a really delicious thing to eat.  I was often served grated celery root in France as a side dish and never having seen one before, was mighty confused when I'd ask what it was and people would respond "celery".  Because I knew it wasn't any kind of celery we had back in Ohio.

It wasn't until several years later that I realized the French "celery" was "celery root" in english.   It's a hairy, ugly looking thing in its natural state, but actually pretty easy to deal with (don't be fooled by people who bemone the knife-crazy experiences they've had with these things.  A sharp knife is a good thing.).  You trim the rough outside off and chop it into pieces that'll fit into your foodprocessor tube.  Shred it and mix with some dressing.  That's it.  It's got the appearance of cole-slaw, but with a fresh, smooth flavor, seasoned to your taste, it's a great way to provide a light, healthful side to many meals.

Simple Celery Root Salad

Peel a celery root with a sharp knife, working your way around the outside.  Slice off any rough or dry parts. 
Chop the root into food-processor sized chunks and grate.
For dressing a softball-sized root, we used:
2 TB mayo
1 TB mustard
Juice from 1/2 a lemon (about 4-6 TB)
Salt and pepper to taste.

You could also use a vinagrette or other salad dressing in a pinch.

The lemon juice adds a nice tang to the dish.

Salmon and Lentils

Beans. They're the red-headed step-child of my pantry.  I should do more with them, take them out, show them the world.  Instead, they sit there in my pantry.  I tried dressing them up, putting them in glass jars and that made them look better, but there they sit, undisturbed, like some display at a restaurant never meant to be eaten.

Beans - I promised myself -I'm going to learn how to cook with you more.

That was before we discovered lentils.

Lentils are family friendly.  No lengthy soaking, no transferring between pots of water and soaking over night.  They're the perfect gateway bean!

They require a little soaking, but 15 minutes is just the right amount of time to chop and saute some veggies (cover a cup of lentils with boiling water - I microwave it then pour the lentils)

Lentils are great with the classic italian combination of leeks (onions, if you don't have leeks), carrots and celery.  Soften them in a medium-hot saute pan with some olive oil - about 8 minutes.

Add the lentils and cover with chicken broth (about 2 cups), add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and some salt and pepper.  Simmer until the lentils are soft, about 25 minutes.

This is great for kids - lots of chopping, a little stirring.  We served ours with some grilled salmon,  but it's also wonderful next to chicken.  If you have some leftover rice from another meal, mix it in with any leftover lentils for an easy lunch the next day.

Lentils - next thing you know we'll be cooking with beans!

Pasta and Peas

Here's a quick and easy side dish: pasta and peas.

Cook the pasta according to the box in salted water with olive oil.  I used Orecchiette because I like the way the "little ears" scoop up some sauce and peas, but any small shape should work.

Add the frozen peas to the pasta water for the last 6-8 minutes of cooking time.  Quickly drain the peas & pasta in a colander and put them back into the saucepan - it's okay if a little cooking water clings to the pasta, that helps make the pasta sauce.  If you're not making the pesto version, save about 3/4 cup of the cooking water by scooping it out with a measuring cup before you drain it.

For the pesto version, I added about 3 TB of pesto, straight from the freezer, to the saucepan and stirred.  I didn't even have to turn the heat back on.  You can also add pesto from a jar - it's usually sold next to the pastas and sauces in small jars.  If you don't have pesto handy, add about 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and then drizzle the cooking water back in until you have a lightly coated dish.  It won't be saucy, just moist enough to be tasty.  Salt to taste.