Celery au Gratin Recipe 🌿🧀
Overview:
Enjoy the rich flavors of this comforting Celery au Gratin dish, a delightful blend of tender celery, creamy sauce, and a crispy breadcrumb topping. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or as a side dish for special occasions like St. Patrick’s Day! This recipe, brought to you by lovewithrecipes.com, is easy to prepare and guaranteed to impress your family and friends. Let’s dive into the culinary adventure!
Ingredients:
| Quantity | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2 | Celery |
| 1 | Onion |
| 2 | Tablespoons Butter |
| 1 1/2 | Tablespoons Flour |
| 6 | ounces Extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese |
| 5 | Carrots |
| 2 | Sprigs Thyme |
| 1 | Bay Leaf |
| 1 | Sprig Parsley |
| 1 | cup Milk |
| 1 | cup Cream |
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 357.3
- Fat: 27.7g
- Saturated Fat: 17.2g
- Cholesterol: 88.6mg
- Sodium: 399.7mg
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 3.7g
- Sugar: 5g
- Protein: 10.1g
Instructions:
Preparation:
- Trim the celery and peel each stalk using a potato peeler to remove the tough strings.
- Cut the celery into chunks, approximately ¼” by 2½”.
- Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C).
Cooking:
- Roughly dice the carrots and onion.
- Place the diced vegetables along with thyme, bay leaf, and parsley in a heatproof casserole dish.
- Arrange the celery on top of the vegetables and cover two-thirds of it with water.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and then fit the lid securely on top of the foil.
- Cook in the preheated oven for one hour.
Sauce Preparation:
- Remove the celery from the casserole dish and transfer it to a container.
- Leave the carrots and onion in the casserole dish and reduce the cooking liquid to approximately 7 fluid ounces.
- Strain the liquid and set it aside.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes until it forms a smooth paste.
- Gradually pour in the milk and cream, stirring constantly.
- Cook the sauce until it thickens, then stir in the reduced cooking liquid and grated cheddar cheese.
- Continue cooking the sauce for a couple of minutes until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly and Baking:
- Layer the prepared sauce and celery in an au gratin dish.
- Scatter breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
- If desired, you can brown the surface further under the broiler for a crispier finish.
Serving:
- Serve the Celery au Gratin hot, straight from the oven, as a delicious side dish or a comforting main course.
- Pair it with a fresh green salad or crusty bread for a satisfying meal that’s sure to please everyone at the table.
Enjoy your culinary masterpiece and savor the delightful flavors of this Celery au Gratin recipe! Bon appétit! 🍽️🥂
