Give yourself a generous dose of vitamin C with this beautiful salad. Citrusy, refreshing and a bit tangy thanks to Dijon mustard in the dressing. Give it a try!

Celery root is considered an underdog in the world of vegetables. Brownish on the outside, yellowish on the inside and with its bulky appearance, celery root doesn’t necessary awaken our imagination leading us into a culinary journey. In many European countries celery root is most commonly used in soups. Celery stalks, such a staple in American households, are hardly ever used there. I don’t think I ever had a celery stalk before coming to the United States! How crazy is that?!

This salad is very refreshing and wonderfully crunchy. It combines celery root with Asian pear, orange and pomegranate seeds. I’m using a Honey Dijon dressing to compliment the flavors.

Start the salad by preparing the celery root. Using a rather solid knife cut off the top and bottom part of the celery root. You may have to cut off as much as 1 inch off the bottom to get rid of some of the roots. Next, cut the celery root in half lengthwise. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife cut off the thick skin. When exposed to the air, celery root will darken just as avocado will, so try to work relatively fast now. Using a mandoline with a julienne attachment or sharp knife cut the root into matchsticks. Place the cut celery root into a bowl and squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over it and stir to prevent darkening.

 Serves: 2

• 1 medium celery root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 Asian pear, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 orange, peel and pith removed, cut into segments
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds ( from about 1/2 pomegranate)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (to prevent discoloration)

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Prepare salad: wash, peel and halve the celery root. Using a  mandoline with julienne attachment or a sharp knife cut the celery root into matchsticks. Place them into a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Gently stir.
2.  Peel and cut the Asian pear into matchsticks. Add to the bowl.
3. Peel, cut and segment the orange ( for detailed instruction read above). Cut each segment in half lengthwise. Add to the bowl.
4.  Cut and de-seed a half of pomegranate. You need about 1/4 cup of pomegranate seed. Add to the bowl and gently stir to incorporate all of the ingredients.
5. Prepare dressing: in a small bowl whisk together all of the ingredients adding olive oil at the end. Adjust the seasonings.
6. Combine the salad with the dressing. Gently stir. Serve at once.

Enjoy!