This gratin is for those who love the flavor of garlic. The nice thing about this is that using the green garlic gives you lots of flavor but leaves the pungent heat behind.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large celeriac, peeled and sliced 1/8th inch thin, kept in water 4-5 large Yukon Gold, Yellow Finns, or Russets, sliced 1/8th inch, kept in water 4-6 green garlic stalks, white and palest green parts only, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced across, washed and drained 2 large brown onions, peeled and sliced ¼ thick 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme, marjoram, savory (or a combo), minced Salt and pepper to taste 1 clove garlic, peeled 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or as needed) 2 cups heavy cream* Olive oil as needed 1-2 tablespoons butter, cut into little pea sized bits
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Rub the inside of the gratin dish (13 inch oval or 4 quart Pyrex baking dish) vigorously with the garlic, leaving traces of oil over the surface. Then mince the clove and put in with the onions.
Heat a pan large enough to hold the onions and green garlic over medium, then film with oil. When hot, add the alliums and toss to coat. Sauté until wilted, then add the wine and cook until evaporated and the alliums are tender and golden. Watch carefully that the green garlic does not burn. Season with salt and pepper and a teaspoon of the herbs.
While the alliums cook, heat the stock to a boil. Add the cream and turn off the heat.
Once the alliums are cooked, place them into the bottom of the gratin dish and level. Sprinkle with some of the herbs. Drain the celeriac and potatoes and mix together. Lay most of them into the gratin dish and sprinkle with some of the herbs and some salt and pepper. Finish off the top of the gratin by evenly placing a row of celeriac, then a row of potatoes, until done. Make each layer halfway up the slice it goes on top of.
Pour in the hot stock/cream combo to come three-quarters of the way up the ingredients. Scatter some more herbs over the surface and season. Place the gratin on a foil lined baking sheet. This will contain spills and keep the floor of the oven from getting spattered.
Place into the center of the oven and bake 30 minutes. After 30 minutes press down on the gratin with a spatula, basting the top with the liquid in the dish. Return it to the oven and continue baking until the ingredients are tender and cooked through. This should correspond to when the last of the liquid cooks off, around 20-30 minutes more. The top of the gratin should be golden and the edges of some of the slices should be crisp. If there is a lot of liquid left in the gratin and it is quite done, you can use a ladle or basting bulb to siphon off the excess. In a pinch, roll up some paper towels and insert around the edge of the gratin to wick up extra liquid, tearing off the saturated section as needed.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool 10 minutes so the gratin “sets” and firms up a little, and you don’t burn your mouth. It is ready to serve.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
*If you wish, you could just use stock or just use cream rather than a combination. The combo gives that creamy texture while keeping the dish lighter in body. If you wish to make a richer version of this, grate 1-2 cups of Gruyère cheese, scattering much of it inside the gratin, and sprinkling some on the top.
Serves: 4-6
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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