Roasted Beets and Celery Root with Goat Butter

This dish paired beautifully with a Sauvignon Blanc at last week's wine dinner. ("Who knew celery root could be so SWEET?" was a repeated comment...) I'm betting it would be almost as delicious omitting the goat butter (use a little olive oil instead)..and would make a great healthy side dish.

Roasted Beets and Celery Root with Goat Butter
From Food and Wine magazine.
Makes 4 servings.

1 1/4 pounds trimmed baby beets, preferably golden, scrubbed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons goat butter
1 pound celery root, peeled and cut into 2-by- 1/2-inch batons
2 thyme sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a baking dish, toss the beets with the oil. Cover with foil and roast for about 1 hour, until the beets are tender when pierced. Let cool slightly, then peel the beets and cut them into small wedges.


In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the goat butter. Add the celery root and thyme sprigs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup of the stock and simmer over moderate heat until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining stock, 1/4 cup at a time, and cook until the celery root is tender, 8 to 10 minutes total. Stir in the beets and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.

Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of goat butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.