Roasted Shiitakes With Celeriac Potato Puree

I've had a total crush on celeriac (aka celery root) lately. It all started with this dish that I dreamed up as our main for Thanksgiving. I had an idea to marinate some beautiful portobello mushroom caps in a mixture of olive oil, shallots, garlic, sage, rosemary, and thyme before roasting them for a bit in the oven. Once they were done, they would be filled with a velvety smooth celeriac and potato puree punctuated through with fresh chives and black pepper. Since then, I've made the dish several more times and it evolved slightly into the version I'm sharing with you today. 

I'm not sure what it is about celery root that I like so much. It actually came as a surprise to me because my feelings concerning celery aren't necessarily that strong. It's sort of a take it or leave it mentality. I don't care whether I eat it or not. But celeriac! Oh celeriac. I think perhaps it has to do with the natural grounding qualities of this root. It provides such stability and nourishment that I tend to crave, particularly during this time of year. And, it has a lovely, unique flavor that is so much more than the celery notes present. It's slightly sweet and grassy with hints of earthy parsley. And, when you mix it with buttery yukon gold potatoes? HEAVEN. 

For the version of this recipe I'm sharing with you today, I went with shiitakes instead of portobellos simply because I'm on a bit of a roasted shiitake kick right now. If you have a bit of extra cash, I definitely recommend going with shiitakes because they have so much more umami flavor on their own. But, portobellos will work just as well. Though it's packed with a lot of flavor, you'll notice the ingredient list isn't too long. This is intentional so that the natural goodness of the shiitakes and celeriac can shine through. And, it's also because I'm not much for fussy, involved recipes most of the time :)

If you want to make more of a substantial meal, I highly recommend making the sweet potato and sage corn muffins and the winter sunshine salad to go along with the roasted shiitakes and celeriac potato puree. 

Roasted Shiitakes with Celeriac Potato Puree

for the mushrooms

8 oz shiitake mushrooms, woody stems removed and sliced (or 8 oz portobellos, sliced)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp minced fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

for the puree

1 celeriac, outer skin removed and diced

1 large yukon gold potato, skin removed and diced

2 tsp coconut butter (or vegan butter)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp chives, finely chopped + more for garnish

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

2-3 tbsp cashew milk (or other nut milk) 

sea salt and pepper to taste

To make the mushrooms, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss together the mushrooms, oil, herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl until everything is well combined. Let the mushrooms sit and marinate for at least 15 minutes, then arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast the mushrooms for 15-20 minutes until they are tender and the edges are just starting to turn golden.

To make the puree, steam the potato and celeriac together until fork tender. Add the potato and celeriac to a food processor along with the coconut butter, lemon juice, chives, nutritional yeast, cashew milk, salt, and pepper. Run the food processor until a relatively smooth puree forms. Taste the puree and season with more salt/pepper as necessary. If the puree seems a bit too thick, mix in more cashew milk. 

To serve, put down a nice bed of the puree, then top it with a heap of the roasted mushrooms and a sprinkling of fresh chives. You can also plate it up on one large platter if you want to serve it family style. Makes 2-3 dinner sized portions or 4-5 side servings.