Celeriac gratin

This blog has been lacking something. New recipes for one. But also something fancy and something that I have not yet done, but will do this Christmas. So if you prepared it before the 25th you are on your own. Also no picture.

And this recipe? Well, I am big fan of celeriac as a side dish and anything will cheese, namely gratins will make me heart warm. So when I saw the filling for this recipe in The Guardian [of Manchester] I immediately saw an opportunity to impress my in-laws. More on that later.

Variations

From the original recipe a few things were changed:

  • no crust obviously
  • way less honey, 1 tablespoon became 1 teaspoon
  • half of the herbs were used, though I probably should have used all of it.
  • I forgot to grate 1/3 of the celeriac
  • Celeriac was cubbed and fried in 2 tablespoon of olive olive oil for about 10 minutes, instead of boiling. I hoped this would give it a bit more flavor.
  • Cheddar was replaced with 100 g Emmentaler and 150 g of Gruyére.

Source

source.


  • Servings: 6
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cooking Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 75 mins

Ingredients

  • Celeriac: 1kg, or about 1-2 heads, cubbed.
  • Garlic,: 3 heads, cloves separated and peeled
  • Cheddar cheese: 220g, coarsely grated
  • Creme fraiche: 150g
  • Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
  • Balsamic vinegar: 1 tablespoon
  • Honey: 1 tablespoon
  • Rosemary: 2 sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • Thyme: 2 sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • Sage: 2 sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • Lemon juice: half a lemon
  • Mustard: 1 tablespoon
  • Parsley: small bunch, chopped
  • Eggs: 2, beaten
  • Salt and pepper: to taste

Directions

  1. Simmer the garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes, then drain.

  2. Using the same pan (dried), fry the garlic in olive oil on a high heat for 2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and 200 ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

  3. Add the honey, most of the rosemary and thyme (save a little, with the sage) and salt. Cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. The the garlic cloves should be coated in a dark syrup.

  4. While the sauce is thickening, peel the celeriac and cut it into quarters, setting aside about 1/3. Slice the rest in 2 cm-thick pieces. Boil these pieces in hot water for 7-10 minutes. Drain. Meantime, grate the remaining celeriac.

  5. In bowl mix the boiled celeriac, cheese, creme fraiche, lemon juice, mustard, parsley and eggs. Add salt and grind of pepper and gently fold in the caramelized garlic cloves.

  6. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. Coat lightly an over form with olive oil, and then add the mix, grated celeriac, rosemary, thyme, all the sage, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes or until it has set and the top is golden brown.

  7. Enjoy!

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