Celeriac (Celery Root) + Green Pea Risotto (Rice-less)

By Juhi Sharma · Oct 7, 2019 · 5 min read

Hello my beautiful PEEPS!

During my recent visit to beautiful Mont Tremblant, I had what I believe was the most INCREDIBLE experience of my ENTIRE life! I had the honour to partner with Casino Tremblant, where I had the opportunity to cook with their Executive Chef – Chef Dominic! Chef Dominic created this unique recipe to check off the following boxes: vegetarian (because I’m a vegetarian), fresh & local (all made with fresh & mostly local ingredients), and wholesome (which this dish, definitely is)!

I hope you enjoy this twist on a traditional Risotto dish! It may be priceless, but it’s packed with flavour! I created this (almost) replica at home from all the skills and tips I learned from Chef Dominic and am so happy to be sharing it with you! Please give this dish a try in your home kitchen; I promise you, it is fairly simple.

(Makes 2 portions)

Ingredients

(600g) Celery Root
(500g) Green Peas
(100g) Shallots
(½ Bunch) Chives
(250ml) Cream (35%)
(100ml) Vermouth
(50ml) Olive Oil
(5 Cloves) Garlic
(½ Bunch) Rosemary
(½ Bunch) Thyme
(200ml) Vegetable Stock
(1L) Milk
(50g) Butter
(To taste) Himalayan Salt
(To taste) Black Pepper
(Garnish) Freeze-dried Peas
(Garnish) Pea Shoots

For the Garlic+Thyme+Rosemary Oil

Place the olive oil, garlic cloves, thyme springs and rosemary springs in a pan.
Allow all the ingredients to slowly cook on low heat (80° Celsius) for 3 hours.
Once completed, strain the oil into a bowl and discard the other ingredients.

For the Risotto

Dice the celery root into tiny cubes. (Save 100g/ 600g to make the celery root purée).
Blanch the diced celery root in salted boiling water for approximately 2-3 minutes.
Once cooked, strain out the hot water and allow the cooked celery root to bathe in ice water.
Follow the same steps for the fresh green peas. (Save 80g/ 500g to make the pea purée).
Finely mince the shallots and reserve for later.

For the Pea Purée

Use 80g/ 500g of the blanched peas and blend for approximately 3-4 minutes with a touch of Olive Oil.
Add 2-3 teaspoons of the vegetable stock to smoothen out the texture of the purée.
Add Himalayan salt (to taste) to season the purée.
Place the purée into a mesh strainer and strain for an entirely smooth consistency.
Carefully add the purée to a bottle and reserve for later.

For the Celery Root Purée

Place 25g/ 100g minced shallots, garlic and olive oil in a pan and allow it to sweat over low heat. (Be carefully to not overcook, as we aren’t looking for colouration).
Add the celery root to the mixture in the pan.
Allow the celery to sweat.
To season, add some Himalayan salt and black pepper (to taste).
Pour in the milk to the mixture in the pan.
Add a spring of Thyme.
Allow the mixture to cook thoroughly, while gently stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture has cooked completely, strain out the milk.
Remove all the ingredients, leaving behind only the celery root.
Add the celery root to a blender and blend for approximately 3-4 minutes.
Using 2-3 teaspoons of the milk strained earlier, add it to the purée to smoothen out.
Incorporate the butter in at this time to future smoothen the texture of the purée.
Carefully add the purée to a bottle and reserve for later.

For the Parmesan Tile

Place a non-stick pan on medium-high heat and allow it to warm up.
Once the pan is hot, finely grate some Parmesan cheese at the center of the pan in a circular motion (aim to create a round cookie-like shape). Be mindful to not grate the cheese forming a mountain, you want it to remain as flat as possible.
Once the cheese has melted in the pain for approximately 15-20 seconds (don’t allow colouration), take the pan of the stove and swing the pan up and down to fan out the heat.
Using a scrapper-like tool (or mini spatula), life the Parmesan tile of the pan and reserve for later.

To Cook the Risotto

In a pan on medium heat, allow the shallots to sweat with the Garlic+Thyme+Rosemary Oil prepared earlier.
Add the vermouth to the pan and allow it everything to deglaze, while cooking the vermouth down.
Add the cream to the pan and allow the cream to cook down (you will see it slowly thicken).
Add the diced and cooked celery root to the pan and allow it to slowly cook. Be sure to take a taste to see how far the celery root has been cooked. (You are aiming for the celery root to have a bit of a bite, similar to cooking al dente pasta. Avoid over cooking resulting in a mushy texture).
Once the celery root has half cooked, add in the blanched peas.
Grate in the remainder of the Parmesan cheese (feel free to add more) and mix well.
To season, add some Himalayan salt and black pepper (to taste).
Turn off the heat, add in the freshly (and finely) chopped chives, and mix well.

To Plate + Garnish

Dip a brush into the pea purée and brush it across towards the edge of the plate, creating a straight line.
Using a squeeze bottle, randomly squeeze out small dots over the pea purée line.
Place the freeze-dried peas randomly over the pea purée line. (Feel free to be creative and play around with the placement of the garnish ingredients).
Using a tablespoon, carefully put the risotto at the center of the plate.
Create a small space in the risotto and place the Parmesan tile in that space; this will create height.
Randomly place the pea shoots as garnish.
Finish the place, with a light drizzle of the Garlic+Thyme+Rosemary Oil prepared earlier.

Voilà & Bon Appétit!

Plated celery root and green pea risotto

Recipe