Caramelized Celery Root Wonton Cups with Date BBQ Sauce and Chili Oil

Whole Roasted Celery Root is a Revelation to Me

I was first introduced to the idea of roasting whole celery root in one of my all-time favorite plant-based cookbooks - Ottolenghi Flavor. It's hard to imagine the transformation that a humble celery root undergoes when rubbed with olive oil and salt and allow to roast for a couple of hours. 

Celery Root (celeriac) is a knobby, strange looking root vegetable that doesn't look, on the surface, like it has much potential. But, pop it in the oven and let it roast for a few hours and it turns into this rich, creamy, caramelized delicacy that I can happily make an entire meal of. 

In order to allow all the natural sugars in celeriac to carmalize and the flesh to get soft and creamy, you've got to let it roast for quite some time. But the preparation couldn't be easier. 

1. Thoroughly scrub the outside of the celery root. Fill a large bowl with water and set it inside the sink. Plop in your celery root and start scrubbing. You can either use the rough side of a clean kitchen sponge or a vegetable scrubber. You'll be surprised at how dirty your water gets - it is a root vegetable after all. Pat the celeriac dry with paper towels.
2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3. Set the celery root on a piece of aluminum foil that's big enough to enclose it.
4. Drizzle some olive oil over the celery root, turning it around in the oil to coat. Then, sprinkle it all over with salt.
5. Wrap the foil up and around the celery root, enclosing it completely. Set it on the baking sheet and pop it in the oven.
6. Let it roast for 2 - 3 hours, until extremely soft, creamy and caramelized.

So... roasted celery root can kind of look like a heart. Depending on who you are, this might be off putting. I found it slightly disturbing. But I got over it when I cut into it and took a bite, and had to force myself to not eat the whole thing right then and there. Seriously. So delicious.

Date BBQ Sauce is Sweet, Smokey, a Little Bit Spicy, and a Whole Lotta YUM

Since I began working on this recipe, I've made the date BBQ sauce multiple times and put it over whatever we happened to have in our refrigerator. Here's what I've learned: It can make practically anything taste amazing. 

Making the sauce is a super simple two-step process that takes about 15 minutes, and it will keep in the refrigerator for at least 5 days (probably longer).

1. Simply cook some chopped shallots and garlic in oil before adding Aleppo pepper, paprika, cumin, balsamic vinegar, water, and dates.
2. Let the whole thing simmer for a few minutes then add a squeeze of lime juice and puree it in a food processor.

That's it. Easy-peasy. 

In these little appetizers, the sauce adds a sweet smokiness that brings out all the best qualities of the caramelized veggies and spicy chili oil. 

Crispy Garlic and Aleppo Pepper Oil

If you're not yet on the Aleppo Pepper train, get on board this minute, because you're missing out. Aleppo pepper has a similar flavor profile to ancho peppers, but it's more mild and a little bit fruity.

The thing I love most about Aleppo Pepper is how much flavor you get for the amount of heat the pepper packs. Aleppo is about half as hot as crushed red chili flakes but packs double the flavor.

To make this flavored oil, simmer a healthy dose of Aleppo pepper with some coriander, salt, and garlic, until the flavor of the spices has been throughly infused into the oil and the garlic is deliciously crispy. Drizzle it over these little wonton cups to finish them off with a powerful punch of flavor, a bit of heat, and a nice garlicky crunch.

Psssssst! If you make a bit of extra chili oil it is absolutely FABULOUS as a dipping oil for bread or tortillas. 

How to make Crispy Baked Wonton Cups!

Baked wonton cups couldn't be easier and they make the perfect container for appetizers and other finger food. Simply brush a wonton wrapper with oil and press it into a muffin tin. The oil makes the wonton wrapper nice and soft and slightly sticky, so it stays put when pressed into the tin.

Once all the muffin cups have been lined with wonton wrappers, put the pan in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Then, simply fill them with goat cheese, BBQ covered roasted veggies, and even more date BBQ sauce. Pop them back in the oven to bake for another 8 minutes.

Drizzle them with fresh lime juice, crispy garlic and chili oil, and some minced scallions. 

Serve. Eat. Enjoy. Repeat.

Where Can You Buy Wonton Wrappers?

One time I tried to make wonton wrappers from scratch. It was a whole lotta work and they weren't even that good. Lesson learned. Happily, most supermarkets stock packages of pre-made wonton wrappers.

Most of the time they're in the refrigerated section of the produce department, close to the fresh herbs and other specialty items.

If your local market doesn't have wonton wrappers, you can use egg roll wrappers instead. Simply cut each egg roll wrapper in quarters to make them a similar size to wonton wrappers.