Apple Celery Root Gratin
Here it is, the jewel of your holiday table… Apple Celery Root Gratin.
The term “gratin” or “au gratin” meaning covered in breadcrumbs, is usually associated with creamy layers of potatoes and cheese with a generous dusting of crisp crumbs on top. This version, meant to dazzle your holiday guests, consists of paper-thin layers of vibrant celery root and perky Honey Crisp apples.
I just adore celery root. When it’s available in the fall and winter, I just can’t get enough of it. It has a pungent celery-like flavor, without the stringy consistency of the stalks. Celery root has the texture of a turnip or potato, making it perfect for soups, purees and for roasting. Simply peel off the rough exterior and prepare like any other root vegetable.
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Because of its mild bitter essence, paring celery root with something sweet, like apple, complements the flavor bringing out its best attributes.
For this Apple Celery Root Gratin Recipe, I wanted to shave the apples and celery root into paper thin slices to bring an elegant quality to this otherwise rustic dish. I could have used a veggie peeler to do this, but just imagine the time it would take to shave 3 large apples and 3 large roots! Fortunately, I was able to fasten my Slicer/Shredder Attachment onto my KitchenAid Stand Mixer and slice them ultra thin in less than a minute.
To further accentuate the apples and celery root, this gratin recipe is layered with spiced cream, shredded Gouda, and topped with crisp bacon and panko bread crumbs. This apple celery root gratin is shear veggie heaven!
Apple Celery Root Gratin
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots chopped
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 celery roots
- 3 honeycrisp apples or Jonagold
- 1 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 8 ounces gouda cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon butter for dish
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook 8 strips of bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the grease. Once cooled, crumble.
- Place the chopped onion in the hot bacon grease. Saute for 3-5 minutes until softened and slightly browned. Remove the onions from the skillet.
- Turn the heat off and add the panko to the bacon grease and toss. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish (or LARGE quiche dish) and set aside.
- Peel the apples and celery root. Using the KitchenAid Slicer/Shredder Attachment, slice the apples and celery root paper-thin. (You could use a veggie peeler to do this.)
- Place the apples and celery root in a large bowl. Add the onions, cream, salt, pepper, pumpkin pie spice, and shredded gouda to the bowl. Stir well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and press to level.
- Mix the panko and crumbled bacon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes—until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. *If the top starts getting too dark, loosely cover with foil.
- Allow the gratin to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
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So good
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Can I assemble everything the day before and bake the day of?
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Pingback: Experimental Series 106 » Apple-celery root au gratin…very good in theory, but not a big hit with family