Celery Root 3-in-1: Velouté, Remoulade and Fries

Ingredients

• 1,2 kg celery root (to clean, keep the skin for the velouté, dice for the soup, cut into sticks for the fries, grate for the remoulade)
• 1 unité yellow onion (peeled and chopped)
• 2 gousses garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 l vegetable broth (prepared from a cube or homemade)
• 1 c. à café curry powder (mild)
• 1 c. à café turmeric powder (for color and flavor)
• 200 ml thick crème fraîche (to add at the end of the velouté)
• 30 g flat-leaf parsley (chopped, for the soup and garnish)
• 1 unité lemon (juice only, for the remoulade to prevent oxidation)
• 2 c. à café Dijon mustard (for the remoulade and homemade mayonnaise)
• 200 g mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought, base of the remoulade)
• 30 g shelled hazelnuts (coarsely chopped, for the remoulade)
• 50 g all-purpose flour (to coat the celery sticks before frying)
• 2 unités eggs (beaten, binder for the breading)
• 100 g breadcrumbs (for the breading, can be replaced by crushed cereals)
• 1 l sunflower oil (for frying, temperature 180°C)
• à goût g salt (for blanching water and final seasoning)
• à goût g ground black pepper (to season the soup and the remoulade)

Instructions

1. Cleaning and cutting the celery

   Rinse the celery root under cold water, trim the ends, keep the skin. Cut 600 g into dice for the velouté, 300 g into sticks of 1 cm×5 cm for the fries, 300 g into a fine julienne (mandoline or slicer) for the remoulade.

   Time: PT10M

2. Blanching the celery sticks

   Drop the celery sticks into a large pot of boiling salted water for 3‑4 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and immediately plunge into an ice water bath to stop cooking, then dry on paper towels.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Preparing the breading

   In three separate bowls, place the flour, beaten eggs (add 1 tbsp water if needed) and the breadcrumbs. Season each bowl with a pinch of salt.

   Time: PT5M

4. Coating and frying the sticks

   Dredge each celery stick first in flour, then in egg, finally in breadcrumbs. Heat the sunflower oil in the pan to 180°C. Fry the sticks in small batches for 4‑5 minutes until golden, drain on paper towels and lightly salt.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 180°C

5. Preparing the croutons

   Cut the remaining celery into 1 cm cubes. Blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling salted water, cool, dry. Coat them the same way (flour‑egg‑breadcrumbs) and fry for 3‑4 minutes until crispy. Set aside.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Cooking the celery velouté

   In the pot, sauté the chopped onion and crushed garlic with a drizzle of oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery dice (600 g) and cover with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to low heat for 20 minutes until the celery is very tender.

   Time: PT22M

   Temperature: 100°C

7. Seasoning the velouté

   Add the curry, turmeric, salt and pepper. Blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the crème fraîche and heat for 2 minutes without bringing to a boil.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 90°C

8. Preparing the remoulade

   In a bowl, combine the celery julienne, lemon juice, mustard, mayonnaise and 1 tbsp crème fraîche. Add the chopped hazelnuts, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving.

   Time: PT10M

9. Final plating

   Divide the velouté among 4 bowls, sprinkle with a few croutons and a drizzle of olive oil. Arrange the celery fries beside. Serve the remoulade in a small dish as a side or starter.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of celery root: crosne, parsnip
• Instead of yellow onion: shallot, leek
• Instead of garlic cloves: garlic powder
• Instead of vegetable broth: water + bouillon cube, homemade stock
• Instead of curry powder: garam masala powder
• Instead of turmeric powder: saffron powder (expensive)
• Instead of thick crème fraîche: 30% liquid cream
• Instead of flat-leaf parsley: cilantro
• Instead of lemon: apple cider vinegar (less fresh)
• Instead of Dijon mustard: old-fashioned mustard
• Instead of mayonnaise: plain yogurt (for a lighter version)
• Instead of shelled hazelnuts: sliced almonds, pecan nuts
• Instead of all-purpose flour: rice flour (gluten-free)
• Instead of eggs: milk + flour (for a vegan binder)
• Instead of breadcrumbs: crushed corn flakes, panko
• Instead of sunflower oil: peanut oil, rapeseed oil
• Instead of salt: sea salt
• Instead of ground black pepper: white pepper

Equipment Needed

• 3 L pot
• immersion blender or blender
• mandoline or slicer (optional)
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• preparation bowls
• whisk
• frying pan or deep fryer
• skimmer or kitchen tongs
• cooking thermometer (optional)
• paper towels
• silicone spatula
• spare lid (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Blanch the celery sticks before frying to prevent them from burning inside
• Maintain the oil at 180°C for even frying
• Properly emulsify the mayonnaise for the remoulade

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use lemon juice as soon as you grate the celery to prevent oxidation and add a slight acidity that lifts the remoulade
• Blanch the croutons for only 2 minutes: they stay firm and absorb the breading better
• For a gluten‑free version, replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour or unsweetened corn flakes.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the velouté and remoulade in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The fries and croutons keep for 2 days, reheated in the oven to regain crispness.

Freezer: The velouté freezes for 2 months (thaw in the refrigerator before reheating). The remoulade does not freeze (mayonnaise).

Room temperature: Do not leave the fries or remoulade at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The remoulade can be prepared 24 hours ahead and kept refrigerated
• The fries can be pre‑cooked and frozen, then fried again just before serving