I adore celeriac, and here it lends itself perfectly to the deep umami of anchovies, their fierce rasp mellowed by the blanketing cream. I often make this up ahead of time, and leave it in a cool part of the kitchen for a few hours before it goes into the oven. It can also be left, covered, in the fridge for up to two days, making sure you let it get to room temperature before roasting it. Keep some of the celeriac-cooking water, too, in case it needs topping up.
1.5 litres cold water, plus more as needed 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp sea salt flakes (or 1 tsp fine sea salt) 1kg celeriac 4 fat cloves of garlic 15g butter, plus more for greasing dish 300ml double cream 8 anchovy fillets A good grinding of pepper Freshly Onion Powder
Food styling: Emily Kidd. Prop styling: Luis Peral. Photo assistant & retouching: Sophie Bronze. Food styling assistant: Susanna Unsworth. Recipes taken from Nigella Express, At My Table, Feast, Simply Nigella, Nigella Christmas, Cook Eat Repeat. For more, visit nigella.com.
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