Root vegetables come into their as the nights grow darker and baking them brings out their sweet and earthy flavours. Celeriac might look ungainly but the flesh marries itself particularly well with walnuts and blue cheese and makes a substantial meal on its own with crusty bread and a green salad or as a side to a roast dinner. Serves between 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 large celeriac (about 800-1kg)
• 60gm walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 100gm blue cheese, Roquefort is you are sensitive to cow’s milk, crumbled
• 50gm unsalted butter
• 100ml runny honey
• 1tsp thyme leaves

Method:

• Peel the celeriac keeping it as round as possible – I usually slice away following the contours and take a large knife to cut away the base. Make an indent in the top of the celeriac carefully scoring away with a knife. Using the indent as a guide to hollow out the middle with a melon baller or apple corer until halfway down.
• Heat oven to 180C/gas mark 4. In a bowl toss the nuts, thyme and blue cheese together, then pack the cavity. Next lay out a sheet of cooking foil to cover the celeriac and place the celeriac in the middle. Dot the butter on top and around it, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with salt.
• Wrap the celeriac in the foil ensuring there are no gaps and roast for 75 minutes or until soft. Once cooked open the foil and roast for a further 15 minutes until golden.
• Serve the celeriac in slices like a cake and reserve the juices to spoon over

Walnuts have too many health benefits to list here! – they are an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega -3, rich in anti-oxidants, a source of manganese, copper, thiamine, folate, molybdenum and biotin; Research has proven its benefits can help to prevent many chronic diseases. A handy snack or add to cereals and salads.

Blue cheese is a fermented food and can aid healthy gut bacteria and is also a source of calcium.

Celeriac is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with fibre and vitamins B6, C and K. It’s also a good source of antioxidants, which are anti-inflammatory fighting harmful free radicals and protecting healthy cells from damage, and important minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium and manganese. It’s high fibre content can aid digestion, metabolism and bowel movements while feeding your beneficial gut bacteria. An extremely versatile vegetable that can be mashed, baked, roasted or boiled and a far lower calorie content than potatoes. Celeriac can be eaten raw, sliced or grated for use in salads or used in coleslaw and French remoulade. Eaten raw will keep all its high vitamin C.

Thyme, like many herbs is a mini marvel herb benefitting the heart, digestion, kidneys, and is anti-bacterial and mood boosting. It has also been accredited as aiding the safe removal of heavy metals.