Celeriac Steak Oswaldo Aranha

I'm sure Oswaldo Aranha would have a fit if he knew his name was being associated with a vegan version of the dish named in his honour.  He was a Brazilian politician who when he dined at the Cosmopolitan restaurant in Rio de Janeiro always asked for his steak to be served with lots and lots of garlic.

This recipe uses a celeriac alternative, spiked with a spice mix from the Bahia region. 

Ingredients
makes 2

1 large celeriac,  (approx. 800g)
120ml olive oil
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter
10 garlic cloves (per steak), sliced

for the tempero Baiano seasoning

1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano

Method

Mix together all the spices for the seasoning and set aside. 

Pre-heat the oven to 190C. 

Wash the celeriac and peel. (There's no real need to peel but I prefer it. Although the peel does add an extra layer of flavour as in a jacket potato.) 

Then stab it with a fork all over, several times. In a large bowl pour in the olive oil and drop in the celeriac. Roll it about to ensure it's evenly coated. Season with salt, again rolling it around.

Line an oven tray with parchment paper and place the seasoned celeriac on top. Pour over all the excess oil. 

Bake the celeriac for between two and three hours, depending on its size. Baste every half an hour.  Cook until the celeriac is soft all the way through (check with a skewer) and a dark caramalised colour all over. 

Leave to cool before handling then cut the celeriac horizontally into 1½ - 2 cm thick steaks. Baste again in any residual oil in the baking tray. Sprinkle over the tempero Baiano seasoning, coating both sides. Set aside for at least half an hour to marinate.

When you're ready, gently melt butter in a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil on a low heat. Add the sliced garlic. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. You want them a nice golden colour and turn crispy without turning dark and burnt.

Pour some of the melted garlic butter over the celeriac steaks and then place them onto a hot griddle pan (or under the grill) for about 4 minutes on each side. Turn the heat down if it begins to burn.

Place the celeriac steak on a plate and pour over the crispy garlic slices and as much of the butter as your like.

Serve with chimichurri sauce and straw potatoes.