The Secret Ingredient You Need For Rich Vegetarian Gravy

If you're a vegetarian, vegan, someone trying to incorporate more vegetables into your diet or perhaps cooking for someone who follows these dietary preferences, during special occasions or holiday gatherings the last thing you want is to just to be served (or serve) a cold salad while others are feasting on flavorful entrees and side dishes. In recent years however, it has become increasingly easier to find substitutes for meat-centered dishes with either plant-based meat alternatives or simply creating an elevated dish that utilizes hefty vegetables and beans.

Plant-based alternatives for meat-based gravy are unfortunately not as easy to find and what are the silkiest mashed potatoes or tender cauliflower steaks without a thick gravy poured on top? According to Russell Kook, executive chef of The Bellevue Chicago – an upscale dining experience specializing in classic, hearty American entrees with a heavy gourmet twist — his "secret weapon-ingredient" for achieving a plant-based gravy that's just as decadent as a traditional one is the very underrated veggie, celery root.

Chef Kook, who has also been proclaimed as "an all-around gravy expert," favors celery root because of its nutty, slightly sweet, and ultra-earthy notes, while its starchy interior also functions as a natural thickener. You may wonder what exactly celery root is and where you can find it, or if you can substitute it with celery stalks. You are not alone and we have all the answers to your burning celery root questions, so you too can make a showstopping vegetarian gravy right at home.

Celery root, aka celeriac is the bulb of celery stalks with knobby features and is typically found next to other root vegetables in the produce section of most grocery stores. Although celery stalks comes from celery root, they both take on completely different flavor profiles and textures, so using them interchangeably in a recipe will not provide you with similar results. To prepare celery root for any kind of dish, not just for vegetarian gravy, you'll need to use a very sharp knife to peel its dense, inedible skin. Start by slicing off the top and bottom of the vegetable, then set it on one of the now flat ends and run your knife down the sides to evenly remove the skin until you reach the edible interior.

To prepare the celery root for gravy, take your peeled bulb and chop it into 1-inch cubes followed by roasting it in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-40 minutes. Once the celery root is fork-tender, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for bit before adding it to a blender and blending it until it reaches a smooth, creamy consistency that resembles the texture of mashed potatoes. Now you're ready to add this to your favorite plant-based gravy recipe by substituting the flour that's typically called for as a thickener in gravy. Just whisk 1 tablespoon at a time of the puréed celery root until you reach your desired gravy consistency, while simultaneously adding layers of deep wow factor flavor. If you were intrigued reading what celery root can do for gravy, then you'll love reading about Russell Kook's other unexpected flavor enhancers for gravy!