Mikk's Messages Post 2 - Celery Root

In Season Fruits

Apples, Blood Oranges, Pineapple, Pears, Oranges, Pomegranates, Kumquats and Seedless Tangerines are great choices for fruit this week. Offshore Cantaloupe from Honduras into California and Florida are sufficient. Quality is average. Honeydew is still elevated with stocks very limited out of Mexico and offshore. Rambutan and Logan Fruit out of Hawaii are looking really good, with steady supplies over the next few months. Strawberries supplies are steady out of California and Florida with flavor mildly sweet. Blackberry, Raspberry and Strawberry supplies are tightening. Recent rains in Mexico have been the factor. Oranges are doing great out of California, Florida and Texas. Color is deep orange and flavor is sweet. Apple market is stable with plentiful stocks in most varieties. Lemons are holding steady with stocks sufficient. Quality is still very good and color is deep yellow. Limes stocks are tight coming out of Mexico. Quality is fair.

In Season Vegetables
Broccoli, Tomatoes, Rapini, Cucumbers, Onions (Red and Yellow), Lettuce (Baby Greens), Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips are just some of the great choices this week. Red Peppers and Yellow Peppers are at normal levels. Stocks are sufficient and quality is very good. Green Peppers out of Mexico are abundant and quality is good. Tomatoes have bounced back nicely with abundant stocks out of Mexico, California and Texas. Quality is very good. Lettuce supplies out of AZ and California are ample. Quality is average to good and prices remain stable. Broccoli and Cauliflower are sufficient out of Arizona and Mexico due to warmer weather as of recently. Squash supplies are still limited in Florida and Mexico. Prices will ease in the coming weeks Sizing will be off a bit. Celery supplies have eased in Yuma and California. Quality is good in Arizona and even better in California.

Vegetable Pick of the Week

Celery Root

Nutritional Facts

• Every 1/2 cup of celery root contains 20 calories.
• The celery root contains no cholesterol.
• There are 5 g of carbohydrates in each serving of celery root. Dietary fiber contributes 1 g of carbohydrate, while the rest is associated with the starch content of the root.

Recipe of the Week

Crispy Skin Chicken with Parmesan Potatoes and Celery Root Puree

2 ea. Skin on Chicken Breast (ribs, breast plate, wing removed) leaving only the drum bone
1 tsp. Fresh Thyme (chopped)
1 tsp. Fresh Oregano (chopped)
½ tsp. Fresh Rosemary (chopped)
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lbs. Pewee Potatoes or Fingerling Potatoes
½ c. Shredded Parmesan
1 ea. Celery Root (peeled, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 ea. Russet Potato (peeled and cut into 1 in cubes)
½ c. Heavy Cream
2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Salt, to taste
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
White Pepper, to taste

Puree:
Place celery root and potatoes in a sauce pot and cover with cold water. Season with salt and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain liquid from pot and add in cream. Cook for 10 minutes more over medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking until most of cream is absorbed. Remove from heat and add butter, salt and white pepper. Process in food mill and puree until smooth, then keep warm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss potatoes with salt black pepper and remaining oil and place on cooking sheet pan and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and re-toss them in a bowl with parmesan and keep warm.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and season chicken with salt, black pepper, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Add half the olive oil in the pan and sear the chicken skin side down until skin is crispy but not burned. You may need to adjust the heat accordingly in the process. Remove chicken from pan and place on a cooking sheet pan and finish in the oven until fully cooked.
Pour puree on plate. Pile potatoes in the center and place chicken on top. Serve.