Seasonal Sunday--Celeriac & Pink Lady Slaw

I've decided to do a weekly post using something I've found at the market. The French eat seasonally. You've heard me get all excited about the seasonal cheese raclette and its fancy melter. Summer sausages for the grill are being replaced in the stores by sausage stuffing for vegetables and heavier cuts of meat. And cold soups and salads give way to rich stews and warm potatoes. I hope you like it and that your feel inspired to use something seasonal in a different way. Send me any suggestions and I'll try them too.
So to start: Celeriac

I worked up a little recette just for you using the treasure beneath the scenes of the prettily fronded, green celery show off. It's a tuber and like most of the undergrounders it's not much to look at. I've passed it over more times than I can say because I just had no idea what to do with it. Not so now.
Here's what I did....peeled and sliced celeriac into thin batons, added thin slices of pink lady apple and finished it with walnut oil, vinegar and some bleu cheese. I really wanted it to be served warm--a mix between warm german potato salad like you get in Central Texas and coleslaw. It turns out it's a lot like a fancied up, mayo-free Waldorf salad. I think it'd be great with sausages or a nice roast pork.

Warm Celeriac & Pink Lady Slaw

1 gnarled head of celeriac
1 or 2 Pink Lady apples or similar sparkling, tart apple
splash of olive or nut oil (nut oil's better cause of the waldorf salad thing)
3 tablespoons/soup spoons of walnut vinegar (noix)
bleu cheese, crumbled
pinch of sugar

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Prepare an ice bath for blanched celeriac.
Peel the celeriac and chop into thin batons. I used a knife because I'm super clumsy but a mandolin would be great if you have one.

Blanche celeriac batons in boiling water for 4 minutes. It should be crunchy and not limp. Immerse in cold water and then drain.
If you'd like it cold, then stop here. Mix your dressing and add the apples and cheese.
If, like me, you'd like to try it warm, continue this way:
Heat batons in a skillet with a touch of nut oil. Add celeriac and apples, warm through.
While warming, mix your dressing with the vinegar and sugar.
Remove warmed apples and celeriac to a bowl and pour over dressing tossing well.
Crumble bleu cheese over and serve warm.