Beef and Celeriac Casserole — Oven-Baked with Winter Root Vegetables

Pour the water reserved for the celeriac into a bowl and add the lemon juice. Peel the celeriac thickly, cut it into 3 cm cubes, and put each cube in the water as soon as you cut it. Keep it submerged until it goes into the casserole; this is inactive time.

Heat the sunflower oil and butter in a wide pan and brown the beef cubes over high heat. The meat will release liquid first; cook, turning, until the liquid evaporates and the edges are browned. Sprinkle with half the salt and the black pepper.

Add the finely chopped onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until its raw smell fades. Add the carrots cut into 2 cm rounds, the remaining salt, and the water, then bring to a boil.

Transfer the mixture to the casserole and cover it. Place the casserole on the middle rack of a cold oven, set the oven to 190°C / 375°F, and cook for 60 minutes; the earthenware pot should heat along with the oven.

Drain the celeriac cubes and nestle them into the casserole, submerged in the sauce. Cover and cook for 40 minutes more. It is ready when a fork slides into the celeriac without resistance and the meat comes apart easily. If the sauce has not thickened, cook uncovered for the final 10 minutes.

Set the casserole on a dry trivet, sprinkle with finely chopped dill, and serve hot.