As much as I appreciate the traditional rendition of the sort of celery root rémoulade you might get in a Parisian brasserie, I also like to shake it up a bit. Including the ham, or even bacon, in the salad rather than serving it alongside gives the meat a while to get to know the other ingredients, becoming more than just an accompaniment. An alternative to bacon would be shreds of smoked venison or prosciutto, or maybe smoked mackerel. Radish sprouts are stunningly colored sprouted seeds with a spicy heat. Enterprising natural food shops and supermarkets have them, or you can sprout your own in a salad sprouter. If they evade you, you could use any sprouted seed here.

　　

Ingredients

enough for 2 as a light main course

　　

For the Dressing

crème fraîche – 1 cup (250ml)

　　the juice of half a lemon

　　whole-grain mustard – 2 tablespoons

　　

For the Salad

parsley leaves – a large handful

　　celery root – about 1 pound (500g)

　　smoked bacon – 8 slices

　　radish sprouts or mung bean sprouts – 1 3/4 ounces (50g)

　　

Step 1

Mix the crème fraîche, lemon juice, and mustard together and stir in a little salt and black pepper.

　　

Step 2

Coarsely chop the parsley. Peel the celery root and shred it coarsely. I find this easiest with a food processor and a coarse grater attachment. Broil the bacon until it is starting to crisp and the fat has turned gold, then cut it into pieces the size of a postage stamp. Stir the celery root, radish sprouts, parsley, bacon, and dressing together. Serve while the bacon is still hot.

　　Tender