Christmas 2018: how to make celeriac and bay dauphinoise

Julia Platt Leonard offers a fresh take on an indulgent French classic using a frequently overlooked root vegetable

The leftovers, if there are any, are just as good the next day (Photography by Julia Platt Leonard)

Potatoes dauphinoise – potatoes cooked in cream – is an excellent excuse to eat carbs and cream.

The same treatment works well with celeriac and is a handy do-ahead dish for the holidays.

You can assemble the dauphinoise earlier in the day and then pop it in the oven an hour before you sit down to eat.

Any leftovers are delicious heated up and served with a green salad, some sliced ham or prosciutto.

(Julia Platt Leonard (Julia Platt Leonard)

Celeriac and bay dauphinoise

Serves 4-6

1 celeriac, about 700-800g​
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf, fresh if possible
4 black peppercorns
Stalks from the celeriac, if available or a stalk of celery, chopped
225ml heavy cream
225ml whole milk
Butter
Lemon, cut in half
Salt and pepper
Grated parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 175C
24cm cast iron skillet or oven proof casserole dish

Place the bay leaf, peppercorns, chopped celeriac stems or celery stalk in a saucepan and pour over the heavy cream and whole milk. Bring to just below a simmer and remove from the heat. Allow to steep.

Peel the garlic and slice it in half. Rub the inside of the skillet all over with the cut garlic. Discard the garlic and butter the inside of the skillet. Set the skillet aside while you prepare the celeriac.

Cut a slice off the root end and stem end of the celeriac. Set the celeriac with one of the cut sides down onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, shave off the outer skin of the celeriac. Rub the entire celeriac with the cut lemon to keep it from turning brown. Fill a bowl with water and squeeze some lemon juice into the water.

Using a mandoline or knife, slice the celeriac into thin discs. Place the slices in the acidulated water. When you’ve finished slicing the celeriac, drain and place the slices in a pot. Cover with water and generously sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the slices have softened but still retain their shape. Drain.

Lay slices of the celeriac in a circular pattern in the skillet, overlapping slightly. When you’ve covered the entire bottom, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Repeat until you’ve used up all of the celeriac discs. Pour the cream mixture through a sieve onto the celeriac. The liquid should just cover the celeriac. If using a fresh bay leaf, retrieve it from the sieve and place in the centre of the gratin. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25 minutes then reduce the heat to 125C for another 25 minutes or until you can easily insert a knife through the gratin.

If you’re using grated parmesan, sprinkle it on now and cook for a few more minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

@Juliapleonard