Wow. That’s a mouthful.

It’s a mouthful to say – but when your mouth is full, you won’t be sorry.

This is a story of Beauty and the Beast.

~ The Beauty is the romantic Romanesco. Searching high and low, I finally got my hands on this spiraly, bright green gem. I’ve been coveting it for quite some time. It’s a beauty for sure.

~ The Beast is the gnarly knobby root: celeriac (also known as celery root). It’s beastly at sight, and so commonly unknown. I vow to introduce it here.

Gorgeous twirling fronds beaming forth from the close cousin of both broccoli and cauliflower certainly don’t need any additional enticement, especially when rustically roasted with sweet Kerrygold and fresh rosemary, with a hint of lemon zest. The celeriac, though, begins with a rather stringent and strong, overtly “celery” scent. However, as it simmers and cooks, the sugars and starches are released, and a pleasantly and succulently sweet aroma ensues.

Rosemary Roasted Romanesco and Celeriac Cream

1 large head Romanesco, cleaned and broken into beautiful florets
1 Tbs. Kerrygold butter, melted (or olive oil, if you so desire)
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary, minced
zest of one lemon
sea salt and fresh pepper

1 large celeriac “knob,” cut into 1 ” pieces
1 Tbs. Kerrygold butter
1 tsp. Lemon Zest Salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the florets with the melted butter, rosemary, lemon zest and salt and pepper. Roast on a lined baking dish for about 20 minutes, tossing every so often to prevent burning.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, cover the celeriac pieces with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until beginning to smell sweet and rather soft to the touch. Drain. Transfer to a high speed blender and add butter and lemon salt. Puree into a smooth cream.

Serve both veggies, the Beauty and the Beast, alongside lemon-rosemary roasted chicken and a beautiful glass of wine.