Celeriac with Shiitake Mushrooms

I believe celeriac is one of the most underrated root vegetables out there. Not exactly an attractive veg when you first look at it, but once you peel away the thick skin the ivory flesh is nothing less then perfection. Beautiful in salads, soups, casseroles,  I could eat it all day long, mashed, raw, roasted, anyhow really. What I love the hint of celery and fennel it has, making it somewhat smoky. After gorging on sweets everyday during Ramadan I made a light veg side dish with celeriac, shiitake mushrooms and asparagus served with grilled zubaidi (pomfret).

Recipe:

1 celeraic peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 clove of garlic mashed

1 packet of shiitake mushrooms

Handful of asparagus

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt

Pepper

1/4 cup fresh chicken stock

Chopped parsley to garnish

2 tablespoons of olive oil 

1/2 cup of water

Method:

Saute the celeriac in olive oil for 5 minutes adding the garlic, salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and water and allow to cook for 25-30 minutes. In a separate frying pan saute the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes adding salt and pepper and lemon juice. Once celeriac is cooked add to the mushrooms with 3-4 spoons of any leftover stock water. Cook for another 5 minutes and add the asparagus, turn off heat and cover the frying pan for 2-3 minutes until the steam cooks the asparagus. Garnish with parsley.