Celeriac (celery root) and chestnuts combine their earthy flavors for a uniquely rich winter dish, perfect for a special occasion.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Tools
- medium saucepan
- rubber spatula
- mandoline or sturdy knife
- gratin dish or similar 2-inch deep baking dish
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 2½ c cashew milk
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound celeriac
- 1 pound roasted chestnuts
- oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 T fresh herbs or 2 t dried
- ¾ c hazelnuts or almonds, finely chopped
- ¾ c breadcrumbs
Directions
Heat the milk and minced garlic over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until warm and slightly thickened. (If using something other than cashew milk, the thickening will take considerably longer. You might need to start with a roux instead.)
Clean and peel the celeriac, then thinly slice, preferably with a mandoline so that the slices have the same thickness.
Peel and roughly chop the chestnuts.
Preheat oven to 375.
Oil the baking dish and layer with slighly overlapping slices of celeriac. Season with a bit of salt, pepper, and herbs, then sprinkle with some chopped chestnuts. Repeat until you’ve layered all the celeriac.
Pour the milk over the top; it should nearly cover the top layer.
Combine the hazelnuts and breadcrumbs in the small bowl, then sprinkle on top of the gratin.
Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the celeriac is tender. (Poke with a fork or knife to test.)
Serve hot.
Notes
This recipe is part of my vegetarian Christmas menu.
Inspired by the recipe and variations for “Potato and Sunchoke Gratin” in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (read my review).
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