Celery-Roquefort Gratin
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 21, 2007
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
½ cup dry vermouth 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon celery seed ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 head celery (1 ½ pounds), leaves trimmed and reserved; stalks separated, rinsed, and outer fibers removed; stalks halved lengthwise and cut on angle into 2-inch lengths2 tablespoons minced celery leaves 4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour 3 ounces Roquefort cheese ¼ cup chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 1 cup water and vermouth, butter, salt, celery seed, pepper, and celery to boil in medium sauté pan, covering surface of celery with parchment or waxed paper circle. (Liquid should come about 3/4 of the way up the celery pieces.) Reduce heat to simmer; cook until celery is just tender, about 15 minutes. As celery braises, cream flour and Roquefort cheese together with spoon. Remove parchment or waxed paper circle and transfer celery pieces with slotted spoon into 4-cup (10-inch round) gratin dish. Whisk cheese mixture into reserved broth. Bring to boil; simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour cheese sauce over celery, shaking pan to distribute sauce evenly. Sprinkle top with chopped walnuts. Bake until sauce is bubbly and nuts are lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
½ cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon celery seed
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 head celery (1 ½ pounds), leaves trimmed and reserved; stalks separated, rinsed, and outer fibers removed; stalks halved lengthwise and cut on angle into 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons minced celery leaves
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 ounces Roquefort cheese
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
½ cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon celery seed
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 head celery (1 ½ pounds), leaves trimmed and reserved; stalks separated, rinsed, and outer fibers removed; stalks halved lengthwise and cut on angle into 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons minced celery leaves
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 ounces Roquefort cheese
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
½ cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon celery seed
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 head celery (1 ½ pounds), leaves trimmed and reserved; stalks separated, rinsed, and outer fibers removed; stalks halved lengthwise and cut on angle into 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons minced celery leaves
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 ounces Roquefort cheese
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To update our braised celery recipe, we first reconsidered the braising liquid, settling on a mixture of water, butter, and vermouth. The butter served to enrich the flavor of the sauce and the vermouth contributed a needed touch of herbal sweetness and acidity. Still looking for more flavor, we added celery seed. Preparation turned out to be important to our braised celery: Peeling improved the texture and color of the dish (by removing strings as well as the surface green color that tended to go drab when cooked), and splitting the ribs lengthwise, then cutting them into 2-inch pieces, leveled their size and shape enough to let them cook evenly.
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 1 cup water and vermouth, butter, salt, celery seed, pepper, and celery to boil in medium sauté pan, covering surface of celery with parchment or waxed paper circle. (Liquid should come about 3/4 of the way up the celery pieces.) Reduce heat to simmer; cook until celery is just tender, about 15 minutes. As celery braises, cream flour and Roquefort cheese together with spoon. Remove parchment or waxed paper circle and transfer celery pieces with slotted spoon into 4-cup (10-inch round) gratin dish. Whisk cheese mixture into reserved broth. Bring to boil; simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour cheese sauce over celery, shaking pan to distribute sauce evenly. Sprinkle top with chopped walnuts. Bake until sauce is bubbly and nuts are lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
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