Celery Roots, Turnips and Potatoes with Olive Oil

There is still a lot to learn from my mother-in-law. Let me give you the latest example. A couple of days ago, we visited her in her new place downtown and she served us some dishes as usual and one of them was an awesome turnip stew!  I was so amazed by the idea of cooking turnips which might sound a bit weird to you if you come from a place where turnips are cooked  as part of the traditional cuisine in your region. However, to me,  who had been using turnips fresh in salads only, it was such a bright idea. It had never crossed my mind that we can cook turnips. The reason, I think, is that I had not eaten turnips that way in my family or my friend circles ever before. Anyways, I liked the dish so much that I couldn't wait to make it the next day after work. I added celery roots and potatoes to turn the dish into a perfect trio of root vegetables. Cooked slowly over low heat with olive oil and lemon juice, they were so delicious let alone their health benefits! Root vegetables are definitely another reason to love winter!

Ingredients

1 small celery root

3 small turnips

2 small potatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt 

olive oil

1 small lemon, sliced

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup water

dried dill to garnish

 Directions

1. Peel the turnips, potatoes, and celery roots. Divide them into cubes.

2. Sprinkle a medium saucepan with olive oil and place the celery cubes first and then turnips and potatoes last. You can place thin lemon slices between the layers.

3. Add sugar, salt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and water.

4. Cook over low heat for about 25 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Check with a fork and continue cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes if they are not tender enough. You can half cup of boiling water if there is no water left.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool down completely. Do not open the lid until the pan feels cold. 

6. Garnish with dried dill and serve cold.