Celeriac gratin and Hugo the sage
I’m thinking about leaving home. Bossy would obviously try to stop me because I’m quite a catch as dogs go. It’s not that I don’t like it here; the food’s not bad most of the time, the scenery is pretty enough, I’m more or less allowed to do whatever I like (except kill hens, which is very frustrating for me – to the point that I may even be psychologically damaged). I’m just getting a bit fed up of all the baby animals that keep popping up. There have been rabbits, kittens, hedgehogs, birds, foals and now a damned puppy of all things! I suppose I must have been a puppy once, but I’m sure that I would have been an extremely well-behaved one. It stands to reason. Secretly I have to admit that Java’s really rather sweet, but her shenanigans are beyond me. For example, why would you plunge into a ditch that you know you have absolutely no hope of getting out of on your own? It’s just silly of her to try to copy me because I have a magnificently muscular male physique and she is, frankly, just a silly slip of a girl. Maybe I’m going to have to stay after all because someone’s going to have to show her the ropes and I can just imagine the chaos if I leave it to Bossy. One thing is certain: Java’s not going to be helping me to write my column anytime soon because she doesn’t even know how to read and write yet!
Thank you Hugo! I very much hope you decide to stay.
Just as I make use of a large variety of grains, I also try to vary the root vegetables we eat as much as possible. We eat potatoes, for example, quite rarely as there are so many other things to chose from – sweet potatoes, swedes, turnips, parsnips and one of my favourites: celeriac.
Celeriac is very rich in antioxidants and a good source of vitamin K. It also provides essential minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, copper and manganese, as well as B-complex vitamins.
This recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 large celeriac, peeled and cut into 1cm slices
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm slices
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 chilli pepper, finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
400ml cream
200ml vegetable stock
4 anchovy filets
75g hard cheese (I used Comté), grated
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the celeriac, potatoes, garlic and chilli pepper in a large ovenproof dish and season. Add the cream, stock, anchovies and most of the cheese. Mix everything well and then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on top.
15 Comments
Shari
Hugo is such a good writer! He is so funny. I hope he decides to stay. Your recipe sounds delicious – so comforting!
The Healthy Epicurean
Thank you Shari! Hugo is quite a funny chap and I think I’ve convinced him that he’s invaluable here. You’re right – the gratin is real comfort food…
apuginthekitchen
Hugo, I understand how upset you are. Java looks like a lovely little lady and you will have to show her the ropes but you must let her know who is the boss and train her to respect you. You are needed at home but should you need a vacation you are welcome to visit Brooklyn where my friends call my home the doggie spa.
I love your gratin and love cereriac, I like it as much as if not more than potatoes. Yum!
The Healthy Epicurean
Thank you Mrs Pug – I always look forward to your comments because you sound like such a wise dog-owner (much wiser than Bossy but then that’s not difficult!) I don’t think she’s in any doubt about who the Top Dog is – I let it be known as soon as she arrived. She’s just so silly! I’m looking into getting myself a passport at the moment so maybe I will come and visit you at the doggie spa – it sounds very inviting indeed. 😀
platedujour
The recipe sounds delicious and I love celery, which I think is a bit undervalued in the kitchen. I will try it for sure. Hugo has a personality, I can tell 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean
You’re right about that! I really hope that you like it – it is delicious!
tinywhitecottage
What a beauty! ….and the celeriac gratin looks great too… I have been wanting to pickup celeriac lately. I just received the nudge I need. Thank you. 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean
Thank you and I’m glad to have nudged you in the celeriac direction – you won’t regret it!
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atasteofmadess
I have only seen celeriac once, and I had no idea what to do with it. Now I know
The Healthy Epicurean
Glad to have been a help! 🙂
kellie anderson
We love celeriac at food to glow, too. I get bored easily and – for good or ill – I classify potatoes as a bit boring, so don’t use them as much as the family would perhaps wish (unless freshly dug from the garden – different story entirely…). This time of year I favour the same variety of hard vegetables that you do, and not much beats a hearty gorgeous gratin such as this one. Pinning, Stumbling etc. Great stuff. And Hugo is a fabulous writer. Tell him I said so. Just don’t tell him I have cats and chickens instead of dogs. 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean
Although potatoes are delicious I do tend to agree – maybe that look rather uninspiring? I’ll pass on the compliment to Hugo – he’ll be very proud indeed. I won’t tell him about your cats and chickens because he’ll probably start drooling!
Lilly Sue
Lovely written work by Hugo! 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean
Thank you Lilly Sue – I will pass on the message to Hugo! 🙂