Alice Zaslavsky’s tacos with roasted celeriac and pickled jalapeño sauce – recipe | Australian food and drink

Could it be time to consider the celeriac? If you’re looking for a tasty and left-of-field taco combo for the cooler months that’s full of flavour, low on cost and easily veganised, then it just well might.

Celeriac is firm and fibrous enough to hold its shape under heat, sweet enough to crack some caramelisation, and its centre yields to a creamy and fluffy mashed potato texture when cooked. The flavour is surprisingly meaty, which makes more sense when you consider how the parsley and liquorice notes intensify when caramelised, a bit like a bite of steak with herby sauce, or carne asada with salsa verde.

To me, celeriac looks like the baby from Eraserhead. What it lacks in symmetry, it makes up for in shrivelly-ness, which can feel intimidating if “bag of medium carrots” is normally your speed.

The major barrier of a celeriac is the skin, which I would usually leave on for roasting whole, soaking first to dislodge any dirt. However, if you’re planning on wedging, it’s better peeled, pre-roast. Use a chef’s knife rather than a peeler, and treat it like an orange you’re about to segment: slice off the top and base for purchase, then cut off anything pockmarked until you reveal the pale flesh underneath.

Some recipes will suggest parboiling the celeriac, then finishing by roasting or pan-frying. But for me, that’s a bit faffy for midweek. Instead I’d start by roasting the segments under foil, on a preheated tray, so the celeriac can steam and soften, then finish with a blast of heat, uncovered, to get some gnarly burnish. Leftover wedges last really well in the fridge and can be served as you would roast spuds with tomorrow’s dinner, or tossed through a leafy salad for lunch.

I can’t tell you how delicious they are as the hero in a soft taco, teamed with a tangy sauce using jarred jalapeños and their brine. You can decide how spicy you want it, but I’ve let this recipe walk on the mild side – a hum of heat rather than a blast.

The manchego cheese is not a must-have, so if you’d prefer to serve yours fully vegan, swap for a hard plant-based cheese, or leave it out altogether; switch the sour cream for Tofutti, and find the vegan Kewpie mayo.

Tacos with charred celeriac wedges and pickled jalapeño sauce – recipe

Serves 4, makes 12 tacos

2 medium celeriacs, 1.2kg total
60ml olive oil, ¼ cup
½ tsp salt flakes
Cracked black pepper
100g finely grated manchego, optional but excellent

For the pickled jalapeño sauce
120g sour cream, ½ cup
60g Kewpie mayo, ¼ cup
¼ bunch coriander, stems finely chopped, leaves picked and reserved
1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeños
1 small garlic clove, finely diced
2 tbsp pickled jalapeño brine (or other pickle brine)
1 tbsp tomato sauce
½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
Pinch salt flakes

For the cabbage slaw
¼ red cabbage, finely shredded
1 lime, zested, then halved

To serve
12 white corn tortillas – in Australia, I like La Banderita or La Tortilleria
Tajín seasoning, or sweet smoked paprika, extra
Handful of pickled jalapeños, sliced
Leaves from ¼ bunch coriander, from pickled jalapeño sauce ingredients above

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan with a large baking tray inside.

Peel the celeriacs, give them a rinse, halve, then cut into 1.5cm wedges. In a large bowl, add the celeriac wedges, olive oil, salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, and toss well to combine.

Pull out the hot oven tray, carefully line it with baking paper, then arrange the wedges on top. Cover it tightly with two layers of foil, crimping the edges to lock in the steam, then roast for 35 minutes. Keep the schmutzy seasoned bowl, as you’ll be reusing it shortly.

Pull out the tray, remove the foil (mind the escaping steam), then increase the heat to 240C/220C fan and roast for another 15 minutes or until the wedges are soft and deeply caramelised with the edges slightly charred.

While the celeriac is roasting, make the jalapeño dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until combined. Taste for balance and seasoning, and adjust as needed.

To make the cabbage slaw, in the reserved schmutzy bowl, combine the cabbage and lime zest. Squeeze in the juice of half the lime and add a pinch of salt. Mix well – you can even use your hands to massage the lime and salt into the cabbage. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or even a pinch of sugar for balance. Slice the remaining lime into wedges and set aside.

Once the celeriac is roasted to your liking, pull the tray out of the oven and grate half the manchego on top so that it starts to melt over the edges. Turn off the oven, but return the tray to the oven to keep warm in the residual heat.

Cook the tortillas to packet instructions and keep warm under a clean tea towel.

When ready to serve, assemble roasted cheesy celeriac, jalapeño dressing, cabbage slaw, coriander sprigs, remaining manchego, jalapeños, Tajín seasoning and lime wedges on your table. Let everyone help themselves and enjoy!