Apyo - Turkish Celery Root and Carrot

Sephardic recipes call this dish apyo which is the Ladino word for the main ingredient, celeriac, also known as celery root or celery knob. This ugly root vegetable is not properly appreciated by those who haven’t yet discovered its naturally sweet flavor and tender white flesh.

Native to the Mediterranean region and parts of Europe, many cuisines use it in soups, stews, mashes and raw salads. When buying the celeriac, it should be firm and have a gently sweet celery scent. Buy it with the stalks and leaves if you can as they are delicious to include in the dish.

Preparation of apyo with carrots, lemon and dill is a traditional Sephardic favorite, especially among Turkish Jews and especially at Passover. Although my grandfather was from Turkey (Çorlu to be exact), I didn’t grow up eating this dish. I never even saw a celeriac until my mid-thirties when I moved from Denver to New York and began exploring Sephardic history, culture, language and, of course, food. Apyo has since become a favorite and this dish is always on my Passover table.    Cooked in a tradition Turkish way in oil and water, it’s most often served cold or at room temperature as a vegetable or side salad or as a meze or appetizer before a main meal, with good bread to soak up the juices.  

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

2-3 medium lemons

2 large, 3 medium celeriac

2-3 medium carrots

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6-8 stalks of fresh dill

Fill a large bowl with cool water and squeeze the juice of one lemon into it. Wash the celeriac well. If there are stalks and leaves on the root, cut them off and save the fresh-looking ones, adding them to the bowl of lemon water. Cut off the other end as well. Stand the celeriac on one of the flat ends. Use a sturdy knife to cut down the sides, separating the peel and any dark brown parts. Rinse the celeriac under cool water if needed.

Lay the pieces with the large flat sides down and cut each half into about 1/4-inch thick slices. If the resulting slices are large, cut in half again, creating pie-shaped wedges. Put the cut pieces in the lemon water to keep them from turning dark before cooking.

Peel the carrots and cut in slices about 1/4-inch thick and add to the lemon water.

In a separate bowl, whisk together juice from a second lemon, sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil and 1 cup water. Using your hands or a slotted spoon, lift the celeriac and carrots pieces out of the lemon water, letting them drain for a moment before putting them in a medium saucepan. When all the pieces are in, lay 5 or 6 stalks of dill on top along with any nice celery stalks with leaves from the celeriac. Pour the olive oil-water mixture over the vegetables.

Turn the heat to medium high just until the mixture boils, then lower heat to medium low, cover the pan and let the vegetables simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover and let the vegetables cool down to room temperature in the pan.

In the meantime, chop 1 to tablespoons of fresh dill for garnish and set aside. 

Gently remove the cooked stalks of dill and celeriac and set aside. Take the celery root and carrots from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind. Arrange the mixture on a rimmed serving plate or in a shallow, wide bowl. Turn the heat on medium under the liquid remaining in the pan and let simmer about 10 to15 minutes to reduce. Pour the reduced sauce over the vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped fresh dill and garnish with slices or wedges from a third lemon if desired. Arrange any remaining stalks of fresh dill around the edge of the vegetables. Serve cold or at room temperature. The cooked vegetables and sauce can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.