Celery root, also called celeriac, is an edible root vegetable in the celery family. The stalks and leaves of celery root strongly resemble celery, although they are not very good to eat. Celery root itself is a lumpy tuber of unprepossessing appearance, although it packs an excellent taste and is used throughout European cuisine, especially in France. Celery root is beginning to be popular in the United States, with more cooks discovering its myriad uses.

In appearance, celery root resembles a misshapen turnip. It is brown and lumpy, and the brown outer skin should be washed and peeled before cooking. Celery root puts out shoots and leaves that look like celery, but since celery root has been bred to focus its growing energy on the root, these stalks tend not to be edible. By the time the celery root is harvested, the stalks are still fairly small, yet very woody because of the age of the celery root. They should be trimmed and discarded.

When picking out celery root to eat, look for firm tubers without fleshy spots or discolorations. Smaller roots will taste better, while larger roots are woodier and more suitable for roasting or long stewing. In flavor, the root resembles a concentrated version of celery, with a spicy hint of parsley. Celery root can be used in any recipe that calls for celery, and a variety of others as well. It can be stored in the fridge in a brown paper bag with stems trimmed for approximately one week before use.

Celery root is superb roasted, added to gratins, or added to soups and stews. Celery root can also be eaten raw in thin slices on salads and appetizers, and it adds a zesty crunch. If you can obtain celery root during the summer, it makes a great chilled summer soup puree. Some cooks also mash roasted winter root vegetables together, including celery root, for an updated version of mashed potatoes with more flavor and zest.

Celery root is grown much like celery, its close cousin, and begins with starting seedlings approximately two months before the last expected frost. Transplant the seedlings to a sunny, slightly acidic area of the garden in compost rich soil, planting six to eight inches (15 to 20 centimeters) apart. Keep the roots covered as the celery root grows, periodically pruning the feeder roots, and harvest when the root is approximately baseball sized. Celery root takes around 200 days to mature.