Kereviz zeytinyağlı

Name: Kereviz zeytinyağlı
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Turkey
Ingredients: 1 large celeriac (about 600g), peeled and cut into 3cm cubes; 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds; 1 medium onion, roughly diced; 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 1 lemon: juice of whole lemon plus 2 slices for braising; 1 tsp caster sugar; 1 tsp fine salt; 150 ml water; 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, to finish

Turkish celeriac braised in olive oil with lemon: a cold mezze of perfect simplicity

Origin: Turkey

From the journey of Celery.

Zeytinyağlı dishes (vegetables cooked slowly in generous quantities of olive oil, served at room temperature or cold) form one of the most distinctive and philosophically coherent categories of Turkish cuisine. The technique is Ottoman in origin and reflects a fundamental principle of the Turkish table: that vegetables prepared with care and good olive oil need nothing else. Kereviz zeytinyağlı (braised celeriac with olive oil) is one of the most prized entries in this tradition, a dish that demonstrates how the assertive, earthy character of celeriac (the bulbous root form of celery) is transformed by slow, gentle braising into something tender, sweet, and profoundly satisfying. The dish is classically part of the meze spread (served cold at the beginning of a meal alongside other zeytinyağlı preparations) but it is equally eaten as a side dish with grilled meats or fish. Celeriac in Ottoman Turkish cooking was called kereviz and appears in culinary records from at least the 15th century. The combination with carrot, onion, and lemon is the traditional preparation, producing a dish of vivid orange, cream, and gold that is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat.

Ingredients

Celeriac

1 large celeriac (about 600g), peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

Vegetable

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds

Base

1 medium onion, roughly diced

Fat

100 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Acid

1 lemon: juice of whole lemon plus 2 slices for braising

Seasoning

1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp fine salt

Liquid

150 ml water

Herb

2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, to finish

Method

As soon as the celeriac is peeled and cut, submerge it in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Celeriac discolours very quickly when cut.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured.
Drain the celeriac. Add the celeriac, carrot, lemon juice, lemon slices, sugar, salt, and water to the pan. Stir to combine.
Cover tightly and braise over low heat for 30–35 minutes, until the celeriac is completely tender when pierced with a knife. Shake the pan gently occasionally rather than stirring: zeytinyağlı vegetables are delicate.
Remove the lid and increase heat slightly to reduce any remaining liquid to a few tablespoons of glossy, lemony oil. Remove the lemon slices.
Transfer to a serving dish and allow to cool completely to room temperature (or refrigerate for later). Scatter generously with fresh dill before serving.

Notes

This dish is best made a day ahead, the celeriac absorbs the lemon-infused oil overnight and the flavour becomes markedly richer and more complex. Kereviz zeytinyağlı keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator and improves throughout. Serve as part of a meze spread alongside other cold dishes: humus, tarama, patlıcan salatası (smoked aubergine). The dill is essential, it is the herb that defines Turkish cold vegetable preparations and its anise freshness is the perfect complement to celeriac.

The Gastrographer

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control