Veggies that scare me!

[veggiechicken]

I have a veg box delivered and there are some things in it that I put off using - they lurk around in the fridge for weeks So I'd like to know if you can help me overcome my fears - or do you feel the same way?
Celeriac - so big and knobbly. I don't really want to deal with it, its scary - like a wrinkled baby's head.
Salsify/scorzonera. They've been in the fridge for weeks - they're yards long (it seems) like black snakes. If I peel them, they're the size of spaghetti. Is it worth it?
Chillies - you don't know how hot they'll be until you've tasted them - and then its too late. I don't think I like the taste anyway.
How do you cope with these? Do you have any veg that scare you?

[VirginVegGrower]

Jeez what is it with people and celeriac?
Peel it, cube it, roast that with honey and rosemary. Or boil it down with softened onion/shallot, two sticks celery chopped, carrot chopped to make your stock. Season. Blitz it to soup consistency. Add swirl of cream and chunks of Stilton or other blue cheese (I like sweet Gorgonzola) and warm through until melted. Another is to boil the cubes and mash with swede, butter and black pepper. I do so many things with that ugly looking vegetable. To me it's beautiful. I've even chopped the leaves for stews and omlets. Give it a try VC - it's GORGEOUS!

[zazen999]

I love celeriac. Slice about 2 inches off, peel and chop and add when you are frying onions to practically everything. Julienne in salads or stir fries.

Chillis, chop in half and lick gently; you can usually gauge whether you need just a tiny bit, half or a whole one in the meal from that.

Salsify - I have grown this but not cooked it as I left it to go to seed.

[VirginVegGrower]

Salsify and scorzy wotsit. Again I've chunk roasted these with honey and rosemary. Melted Camembert chunks on top towards the end is particularly good. Especially when you dollop that lot on top of brown or white rice. Love it on bulgur wheat too.
Chillies get me down a bit also. I tend to grow them, dry them in the oven and grind up for powder. I'm not a fresh chilli fan to be honest.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Chillis, chop in half and lick gently; you can usually gauge whether you need just a tiny bit, half or a whole one in the meal from that.

Oh! Not so good for me tonight!

I've been cooking Thai this evening with bird's eye chilis - the heat has worked through a pair of latex gloves I've used the handle them, and the idea of given 'em a lick makes my eyes water just thinking about it!

I think that celeriac is my 'grow something new' as part of the 52wk challenge.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks VVG & Zaz. I've just had a lick of the chilli - its going in the oven to roast to cinders
Tomorrow's mission is to peel the baby's head

[VirginVegGrower]

I've also gratinated celeriac - grated and added cheese as a crunchy topping to mash tops in shepherds pud, cottage pud, fish pie and I can remember serving it like a rosti cake once with haddock on the top. But I quite like celeriac with fish and am a bit of an experimental plonk together type cook.
Why don't you try grating it to put in slaw - lots of people do. I never have but it's a popular use for it.

[chris]

I like Celeriac roasted just with olive oil Though, I really don't like Celery. Odd, as the taste is somewhat similar, just not as strong.

[veggiechicken]

I don't mind the taste of celeriac - its the handling of it that bugs me I keep looking for its eyes

[julesapple]

We don't eat spuds any more, so celeriac is one of our substitutes.

Peel it thickly, cube it, boil in salted water until soft - just like spuds. Either blitz it or mash it by hand with a chunk of real butter, some double cream and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Anything that's left gets made into soup - usually with leeks. It also makes a great base for sweetcorn or smoked haddock chowder.

[julesapple]

I don't mind the taste of celeriac - its the handling of it that bugs me I keep looking for its eyes

It doesn't have any eyes...A&C remove anything meaty from their veggies first!

[VirginVegGrower]

Silly sosij! I use a peeler knife type thing rather than one of those airy fairy peelers, which means I can go round it like a big apple. I very often prep veg whilst watching something I can shout at like Allotment Wars or Question Time. It's amazing how quick and painlessly you can get round a large root when you are otherwise distracted!
I'm thinking of peeling Mr VVG at the moment!

[julesapple]

Distraction won't work here, not with Chef's knives. I used to be scared of sharp knives but I know how to use them now. Our knives are lethal.....

I find the best way is to slice both of the ends flat. Sit the celeriac on the root end and slice downwards, and round the curve, turning it as you go. Then cut out any particularly brown 'creases' then slice and cube.

Can someone tell me if celeriac tastes different if it's done as a gratin? I've done that, once, and it was foul. Put me off doing it again, but I wondered if it was the celeriac or something else that was foul....like my cooking so long ago.

[veggiechicken]

It doesn't have any eyes...A&C remove anything meaty from their veggies first!

Are you sure about the eyes?

[binley100]

But you're not scared of the mouth and nose then .....