Notes: Celeriac is also known as celery root, although it does not produce the celery we eat. It is a brown, knobby root vegetable with a maze of roots on the bottom. (It might also have leaves, which are fairly inedible, although some people do use them.) Remove all the roots and leaves and then peel off the tough brown skin; you are looking for a clean, cream-colored vegetable.
I have been known to eat this creamy gratin just on its own, but it’s also excellent served with Roast Leg of Lamb (you can put the gratin in the oven while the lamb is resting after cooking). I make this all in the same dish; if you have an ovenproof sauté pan, that is ideal, but if not, just transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish for baking.
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (removed from stems)
1 ½ pounds peeled celeriac (about 2 pounds unpeeled), cut into ½-inch cubes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Heat an ovenproof sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, and thyme and sauté until garlic is light golden. Add celeriac and stir to coat. (Now is also the best time to season the dish with salt and pepper.) Add cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
Salad: With the lamb and celeriac gratin, I think using greens like arugula, mizzuna, mustard, and even parsley and celery leaves in salad is wonderful; those are cooler-weather greens and have a full flavor. There’s really no recipe; just use good-quality greens and toss with fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. When I dress a salad like this, I make the dressing in the bowl—for six people, I squeeze one large juicy lemon and add a few grinds of black pepper, a pinch of salt, and a couple good “glugs” of oil. Stir quickly with a fork, then add about 1 pound of greens and toss with your hands.
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