I love this seasonal gratin, with rich and garlicky mushrooms, melting onions and hearty potatoes. For me its not a side dish, but a main course.
INGREDIENTS Serves 4
500g celeriac, peeled, and quartered
600g potatoes , peeled
A squeeze of lemon
80g butter
400g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 handful thyme sprigs, picked
Salt and black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
250ml double cream
500ml chicken stock
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
Nutmeg
75g grana padano or parmesan, grated
Preheat at the oven to 220C
Using a mandolin, cut the celeriac and potatoes into 3mm-thin slices, and put these in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice while you prepare the other ingredients.
Put a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and, when hot, add half the butter, the mushrooms and half the thyme, season generously and sauté, stirring regularly, for five minutes.
Add half the garlic, sauté for another six to seven minutes, until the mushrooms have bubbled off their liquid and are looking golden, then take off the heat.
Whisk the cream and stock in a bowl. Drain the celeriac and potato, then arrange a layer of them in the base of a wide, deep ovenproof dish. Top this with half the sliced onion and half the mushroom mixture, dot with a third of the remaining butter, half the remaining garlic and thyme and a light sprinkling of the cheese, and season generously with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.
Repeat with another layer of the root vegetables, followed by the onion, the last of the mushroom mix, the remaining garlic and thyme, the butter, cheese and seasoning, then top with a final layer of potatoes and celeriac.
Dot with the last of the butter, then pour the stock and cream over the top.
Press everything down into the liquid, scatter with the last of the cheese and bake for 65-75 minutes, until golden, and the root veg are tender to the tip of a knife.
Serve with a crisp salad, or some greens, or if you like your meat, grilled pork chops or sausages.
Original Recipe Thomasina Miers
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