Side dishes for today's Thanksgiving meal: Julia Child's celery remoulade, and a cranberry-red pepper relish.

Céleri-Rave Rémoulade (Celery Root in Mustard Sauce)

1 lb celery root (3 to 3½ cups when cut)
1½ t salt
1½ t lemon juice
4 T strong Dijon-type prepared mustard
3 T boiling water
⅓-½ cup olive or other salad oil
2 T wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2-3T chopped mixed greens or parsley

Peel the celery root and cut it into julienne matchsticks [a 3 mm Cuisinart julienne disk is perfect for this; a mandoline is even better]. Toss in a bowl with the salt and lemon juice, and let steep for 30 minutes.  Rinse the pieces in cold water, drain, and dry them in a towel.

Warm a 2-quart mixing bowl in hot water.  Dry it.  Add the mustard and beat in the boiling water by droplets with a wire whip.  Then beat in the oil by droplets to make a thick creamy sauce.  Beat in the vinegar by drops, and season to taste.

Fold the celery root into the sauce, and allow it to marinate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.  Decorate with herbs before serving.

Cranberry Red-Pepper Relish (heavily adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, Nov/Dec 1994)

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
2 cu. cranberries, picked through and coarsely chopped
⅓ cu wine vinegar
¾ cu sugar
1 habanero, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
¼ t salt
1 T juice from grated fresh ginger

Mix all ingredients except the chopped habanero, bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes thick and jam-like (15-30 minutes). Add chopped habanero to taste. Cool and serve. Can be refrigerated for at least two weeks.