Miso-Glazed Celeriac Fondants: A Chef-Led Recipe for Home Cooks
Miso-Glazed Celeriac Fondants offer a delightful fusion of flavours, combining the earthy notes of celeriac with the umami richness of miso. This dish brings together techniques from both European and Japanese cuisines, creating a sophisticated yet accessible recipe for home cooks. Perfect as a side dish or a centrepiece for a plant-based meal, the miso-glazed celeriac fondants showcase the versatility of root vegetables, elevating them to a gourmet experience.
The History Behind Miso-Glazed Celeriac Fondants
Celeriac, often referred to as celery root, has long been a staple in European cooking, particularly in French cuisine. Fondants, a traditional French cooking technique, involve slow-cooking vegetables or potatoes in butter or broth until they are tender and caramelised. The method delivers a luxurious texture and flavour, making it a favorite among chefs seeking to elevate simple ingredients.
On the other hand, miso is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, made from fermented soybeans and offering deep umami flavors. Miso’s journey from its ancient Japanese roots to becoming a global ingredient reflects the growing popularity of fusion cuisine, where chefs blend ingredients and techniques from different culinary traditions to create something entirely new.
By combining the creamy, subtle sweetness of slow-cooked celeriac with the salty, savory punch of miso glaze, this recipe is a modern twist on classic techniques. It caters to the modern palate, where plant-based dishes are celebrated for their depth of flavor and health benefits.
Why Miso-Glazed Celeriac Fondants Are a Must-Try
Celeriac is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, and fibre, making it a healthy choice for those looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet. The miso glaze adds umami richness while also bringing probiotics and enzymes that are beneficial for digestion. This makes the dish both flavourful and nourishing.
PrintMiso-Glazed Celeriac Fondants
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes
Ingredients
- Celeriac Stock:
- Celeriac trim & skin (from below)
- Vegetable oil
- 1/2 shallot; sliced
- Madeira wine vinegar
- Thyme
- 1l water
- Heaped tbsp white miso paste
- Celeriac Fondant:
- 1 Celeriac
- 350g butter; melted
- 10g Kombu powder
- 250ml water
- Herbs: rosemary, thyme, bay leaf
- Chives
- Lemon (to prevent celeriac oxidising)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c.
- Peel the celeriacs placing the trim and skins in a bowl with lemon water.
- Depending on the size of the celeriac, slice it into 2-3 slices vertically (about a 2-3cm thickness).
- Cut each of the celeriac slices with a 8cm metal ring by pushing the ring through the centre to create the fondant shape (trim sides with a peeler to smoothing out the edges).
- Place the shaped celeriac, the celeriac trim and skin in lemon water to prevent oxidation.
- Celeriac Stock: In large pot add the drained chopped celeriac trim and skin in a heated pan with oil. Begin to caramelise/colour the celeriac trim adding in the sliced shallots, thyme and then deglazing with a splash of Madeira vinegar.
- Cover the celeriac with water. Bring celeriac to a light boil and cook/reduce down for about 1 hour.
- Celeriac Fondant: In a deep oven dish; place in shaped celeriac, water, melted butter, kombu powder, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Cover with a cartouche (parchment paper) and cook in the oven for 1hr 30mins (till cooked through).
- Pass celeriac stock through a fine sieve and whisk in the heap tbsp of miso paste.
- Once fondant celeriac is ready, heat up a pan with oil on medium heat. sear celeriac fondant on both sides in the oil to create a deep crust. Then glaze the celeriacs with some of the fondant cooking liquid and stock liquid.
- Ladle in 3 parts of the celeriac stock and 1 part of the fondant cooking liquid to the slightly glazed celeriac fondants. Continue to baste celeriacs with the liquid mix and reduce down to a glaze. Finish miso-glazed celeriac fondant with a sprinkle of chopped chives and serve on the side of celeriac purée (optional).
