Celeriac Gratin Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease a shallow ovenproof dish about 35 x 24cm. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan, add the onions and fry for 10 mins, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to turn golden. Sprinkle over some seasoning and the sugar, stir again, then cook 5-10 mins more until golden. Meanwhile, heat the milk with the nutmeg, garlic, thyme and seasoning. When the mixture starts to boil, pour in the cream and turn off the heat.
• Quarter the celeriac and thinly slice, then arrange in the base of the dish. Pour over half the milk mixture, then spoon over the golden onions. Thinly slice the ends of the potatoes, reserving the middles. Pile the sliced potatoes into the dish, then thinly slice the reserved middle sections and arrange neatly on top. (By cutting the potatoes this way, you should have neat slices roughly all the same size for the top of the gratin.) Pour over the remaining milk mixture, scatter over the Parmesan and bake for 1 hr 30 mins until a knife easily cuts through the layers. Allow to rest for 10 mins before serving to allow the creamy sauce to soak into the potatoes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2-quart gratin dish. Scatter shallots over bottom of dish. Trim celeriac by cutting off bottom and top, then cutting off thick outer layer with a sharp knife. Cut into 1/4-inch slices and then julienne. Arrange evenly in gratin dish. Sprinkle thyme leaves over celeriac.
• In a small bowl, whisk together cream, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Pour over celeriac and sprinkle with cheeses. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue baking until top is brown and bubbly and cream is thickened and reduced, about 20 more minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the leeks, rosemary and bay leaf, then cover and cook very gently over a medium-low heat for 15-20 mins until the leeks are soft. Pour over the milk and almost all of the cream, then season and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little, then scoop out the bay leaf.
• Pour a little of the leek mixture into an ovenproof gratin dish. Arrange a layer of celeriac in the dish, then season. Spoon over some more of the leek mixture and scatter with a little cheese. Repeat the process, alternating between layers of the leek mixture, cheese and celeriac slices, then finish with a drizzle of cream and the last of the cheese. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the gratin for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until the top is golden and the celeriac is tender when poked with a knife. If the gratin is browning a little too much, cover the dish in foil. Can be chilled, then reheated in a microwave or oven on a low heat with a drizzle more cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the duck legs in a flameproof casserole set over a medium heat. Brown all over, then remove from the casserole and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat, leave more fat in the pan if you are doubling or tripling (save the drained fat for your Christmas roasties). Add the carrots and onion to the casserole and cook for 5-10 mins or until starting to caramelise. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min more. Return the duck along with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and put in the oven for 2 hrs.
• Meanwhile, prepare the gratin. Put the milk, cream, garlic and rosemary in a pan set over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 mins. Grease 2 ramekins (about 8cm diameter, 5cm deep). Arrange the celeriac and potato slices in the ramekins, seasoning the layers as you go. Remove the garlic and rosemary from the milk, pour over the veg, then dot with butter. Cover tightly with foil and bake with the duck for 1½ hrs.
• Once cooked, remove the duck and gratins from the oven. To freeze the duck, cool, then pack into a freezer container, pushing the duck under the sauce. If it doesn't cover it, lay cling film on top. Use within 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the casserole and complete from Step 4. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put a heavy can on top of each foil-wrapped gratin and stand for 15-20 mins, or chill like this until needed. Once pressed, turn the gratins out onto a baking tray, sprinkle with a little Parmesan and bake for 20 mins until golden.
• Meanwhile, remove the duck legs from the casserole, strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the sauce by half until thickened and glossy. Add the duck legs and heat through. Put a duck leg on each plate with a little sauce spooned over the top. Serve with the gratins and seasonal veg.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grill the bacon, if using, until cooked and lightly brown, then set aside.
• Bring the cream, milk, garlic, rosemary, chilli and mustard to the boil in a medium saucepan, then turn off.
• Pour a little of the cream mixture onto the bottom of an ovenproof gratin dish. Arrange a layer of celeriac, scatter with bacon, then season. Pour over some more of the cream mixture and repeat the same process, alternating potato and celeriac, finishing with a layer of potato. Cover with the remainder of the cream mixture, then bake for 1-1¼ hrs, until golden and vegetables are tender when a knife is stuck in. Leave to sit for 5 mins, then serve.

Steps:

• Rinse the potatoes and put them in a saucepan with cold water to cover and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. They will not be fully cooked. Drain the potatoes and when they are cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into half-inch slices.
• Pare the celery knob, cut it into quarter-inch slices and put them in a saucepan with water to cover. Add the lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve a half cup of the cooking liquid.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil leaves. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the cream, the reserved half cup of cooking liquid, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes.
• Grease an oval au gratin dish, measuring 2 1/2 by 8 by 10 inches, with butter. Arrange the potatoes in one layer. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over the potatoes. Place the celery slices over that. Pour the tomato mixture over all and then the remaining grated cheese. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake 40 minutes until nicely browned.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the spinach into a colander and sit it in the sink. Slowly pour a kettle of boiling water over the spinach to wilt it, then run under colder water, squeeze out as much water as you can and set aside.
• Quarter the celeriac and cut each piece into thin slices. Butter a gratin dish and tip in the celeriac, spinach and the cream. Season, add the nutmeg and toss everything together. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 mins. Remove the foil, toss the celeriac around, cover again and put back in the oven for 30 mins.
• Remove the foil again, lay the fish on top and place a small knob of butter on each fillet. Cover with foil again and bake for a final 20 mins until the fish is cooked and the celeriac is tender. Scatter everything with chives and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg until combined. Stir in celery and leaves; transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Tear bread into pieces and place in a food processor or blender. Cover and pulse until crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Drizzle over bread crumbs; toss to coat. Sprinkle over celery mixture., Bake until bubbly and topping is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with additional celery leaves.