Celery Root and Herb Cream with Goat Cheese Appetizer

This recipe from Gunnar Karl Gíslason’s North cookbook shows how to adjust New Nordic recipes for a plant-based diet (hint: omit the fish).

Celery Root

• 1 large celery root, peeled

Herb Cream

• 1 large egg
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh dill
• 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• Goat cheese foam
• ½ cup whole milk
• 3 Tbs. fresh goat cheese
• 1½ tsp. lemon juice
• ⅛ tsp. soy lecithin granules

Garnish

• ½ cup crumbled rye crackers, such as Wasa
• ⅓ cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup watercress

1 | To make Celery Root: Cut 4 1/8-inch-thick slices from celery root. Using 2-inch round cutter, punch out 8 disks from slices, and set aside. Chop remaining celery root (including leftover bits from slices) into 1/4-inch pieces (you should have 2 cups).
2 | Bring large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Blanch celery root disks 10 to 20 seconds, remove with slotted spoon, and pat dry with paper towels. Cover, and chill.
3 | To make Herb Cream: Bring large saucepan of water to a boil. Lower egg into water with slotted spoon, and cook 31/2 minutes. Transfer cooked egg to bowl filled with ice water; cool until chilled. Remove egg from water, crack shell, and peel. Transfer cooked egg to blender, and add shallots, dill, parsley, and garlic. Process on high speed 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add oil in slow, steady stream, and process 1 minute more, or until sauce is thick. Fold Herb Cream into chopped celery root, and season with vinegar and salt, if desired. Chill.
4 | To make Goat Cheese Foam: Warm milk and cheese in saucepan over medium heat until cheese melts. Whisk in lemon juice and soy lecithin; season with salt, if desired. Cool. Blend with immersion blender until foamy.
5 | To prepare Garnish: Toss crackers and goat cheese together in bowl.
6 | Place 2-inch round cutter on plate, and place 1 celery root disk inside cutter. Top with 1 inch chopped celery root, then Herb Cream; top with second celery root disk. Carefully lift cutter, and top stack with goat cheese–cracker mixture. Top with watercress, and spoon 1 Tbs. Goat Cheese Foam over top. Repeat with remaining ingredients.