This Celery Root Gratin Is Perfect for Cold Days
We’re right in the middle of a bad, seemingly never-ending part of winter, and all I want to do is eat mountains of creamy carbs. Obviously, our 3- Piece Casserole Potatoes will work , but Noble Hillers are not the only root that works well for baking.
You may have seen celery root in the grocery aisle and may have thought “it looks like a hassle.” The lumpy, kind of round root is actually easy to make and very healthy. It is slightly harder and less starchy than potatoes, with a slight hint of grass and plant brightness associated with celery. It is also very good when it is drowned in cream and then baked until brown and bubbles.
The hardest part of it all is peeling the celery root, and even that isn’t all that difficult. Simply cut off its wobbly, knobby bottom to create a flat surface, then use a Y-knife or a sharp paring knife to remove tough skin from it. Once peeled, you can treat it like any root vegetable – fried, mashed, and so on, but as I explained, we’re going to bake. You may notice that there is no cheese in this recipe and it may upset you, but please calm your boobs because there is a lot of cream. (And, technically , all you need for a “casserole” is a browned top.) To make this juicy and velvety vegetable dish, you’ll need:
- 2 celery roots
- About a pint of heavy cream
- Salt
- 1 garlic clove, halved vertically
Preheat oven to 375 ℉ and rub half a clove of garlic with the inside of your favorite casserole. Wash and peel the celery root, then use a sharp knife or mandolin to cut the top of the root into thin circles. Once you get to the more convex part of the root, continue cutting the circles and then cut those circles into halves of the moon.
Place a layer of slightly overlapping root slices in a baking dish as evenly as possible without worrying too much about aesthetics. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pour in the heavy cream until they cover the slices. Repeat at least three times, or until you run out of root privileges. When you get to the last layer, you might be tempted to pour in so much cream that the celery root is completely submerged in the water, but this is not necessary. The cream will begin to bubble and the root will boil; Pour in just enough so that the dairy product gently touches the edges of the slices. Put the whole thing in the oven for 15 minutes or so, or until the top slices begin to curl. Flip those curly boys over, return everything to the oven, and continue cooking until the top is well browned and the cream bubbles violently on the sides of your dish (50 minutes to an hour). Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before serving, otherwise your sauce will not thicken properly. I know it seems like a long wait, but trust me, this is delayed gratification at its best.