Celeriac a boulangère

Embracing the seasons can get challenging as winter approaches.  To lend a hand, and keep you inspired I”ll be dedicating the weeks ahead to a few unsung cold weather veggie heroes. Today’s recipe features celeriac,  a root vegetable I came to appreciate during my years in Germany.  Now available in the U.S. you will find Celeriac this season at local farmer’s markets or a well-stocked produce section of your grocery store.

This gratin style recipe called a boulangère in France pairs celeriac and potatoes with a mix of herbs.  If this happens to be your first time prepping celeriac you may want to have a look here.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp of mixed dried green herbs. I like a combination of  parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, and oregano
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced very thin
• 1 lb of Yukon gold or red waxy potatoes  sliced thin ( you can also use sweet potatoes or turnips)
• 1 large celeriac ( approx 1.5 lbs), trimmed, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
• 400 ml organic vegetable stock ( can be prepared from a bouillon cube)
• 50 g Earth Balance spread – cut into small chunks
• A mixture of ground nuts or gluten-free breadcrumbs (prepare from stale or toasted bread)

To Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions with most of the herbs until soft. Add shallot and cook until tender, being careful not to brown.
3. In oiled casserole pan layer the potatoes, celiac, and onions. Add salt and pepper.
4. Top layered vegetables with bits of the Earth Balance spread, vegetable stock and cover with tin foil.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.
6. Mix the nuts or breadcrumbs with the rest of the herbs and a drizzle of oil.
7. After 45 minutes, remove the foil, sprinkle over the herb/crumb mixture and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

Enjoy!

Adapted from this Jamie Oliver recipe.