Celeriac Gratin

“Chef student Darren Roberts has created this incredible celeriac gratin with a creamy sauce, pickle and cashew cheese. ”

Prep time - 30 mins

Cook time - 90 mins

Difficulty - Medium

Serves / makes - 5

Ingredients

Gratin:

800g celeriac

500ml coconut cream

2 cloves garlic

1T white miso

2T tapioca flour

1T tamari

1t white pepper

1t salt

1t onion powder

1/2t garlic powder

1T nutritional yeast

3T fresh mint (chopped finely)

Pickle:

250g celeriac

240g radish

1 cup water

2t salt

1t maple syrup

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2t yellow mustard seeds

2T dill

Cashew cheese:

150g cashews

1t apple cider vinegar

1t miso

2t nutritional yeast

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2t salt

Equipment

Large Bowl

Whisk

Mandolin

Loaf tin

Clean jar

Method

Heat your oven to 180c/360f/GM4.
For the Gratin: In a large bowl add together 500ml coconut cream, 2 cloves garlic, 1T white miso, 2T tapioca flour, 1T tamari, 1t white pepper, 1t salt, 1t onion powder, 1/2t garlic powder, 2t porcini mushroom powder, 1T nutritional yeast, 3T fresh mint (chopped finely). Whisk it together then set it aside.
Remove the top and bottom of 1 large or 2 small celeriacs (around 800g) and peel off the skin. Cut the celeriac in half and put mandolin to a high setting to cut slices around 4/5mm thick and proceed to slice the whole celeriac. Add the sliced celeriac to the cream making sure it coats all the individual pieces. Allow to sit for around 10 minutes.
While the celeriac is marinating line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper both longways and sideways to cover all the sides remembering to leave enough paper on the ends to fold and seal the tin. Take your time and carefully layer the coated slices for celeriac into the tin giving each a shake to remove any excess sauce until it reaches the top or when you run out. Keep the remaining cream we will use it later. Fold the greaseproof paper over and gently press down to compact it.
Cover the tin with foil and put it in the oven for 1h 30 mins or until the celeriac can be easily pierced with a knife.
Take out oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Find something you can use as a weight that will cover most of the top of the tin (I used a tupperware which I weighted with a bag of lentils). It would be best to use another tin of a similar size.
Put in the fridge for at leat one hour but preferably overnight.
For the Pickle: 250g celeriac sliced thinly on mandolin, smallest setting 240g radish cut into discs of the same width. Add to a bowl and mix together.
To a saucepan add 1 cup boiling water, 2t salt, 1t maple syrup. Stir until the salt has dissolved. Take off the heat then add 1 cup apple cider vinegar.
To a clean jar add 2t yellow mustard seeds and 2T dill. On top add the celeriac and radish then cover with the brine. Push the celeriac and radish down into the jar until it is completely immersed in the liquid. When it gets to room temperature put the jar in the fridge.
Allow to pickle for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.
For the Cashew Cheese: Soak the cashews in hot water for at least 10 minutes until they have softened. Drain them well. Put them into a jug. Use a blender to blend together with 1/2t apple cider vinegar, 1/2t miso, 1t nutritional yeast, juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/4t salt until smooth.
Partially crush 2t peppercorns in a pestle and mortar. Add to the cheese mixture, set aside.
Get the remainder of the cream from the gratin and gently heat in a saucepan. Add a pinch of black pepper. Heat up a frying pan and add 1T sunflower oil.
Take the gratin from the refrigerator and remove the weight from the top. Using a butter knife loosen the paper from the edges of the tin then unfold the greaseproof paper and gently lift out the gratin and sit it on top of a chopping board.
Remove the edges of the gratin leaving clean lines all around then cut it into 5 equal sized rectangles. Add the pieces to the pan and fry around 1 minute on each side until it goes brown and crunchy.
To a plate make a swish with some of the sauce. On top add the slice of the gratin. Make a quenelle with the cashew cheese and place it on top of the gratin. Take a piece of dill and sit it on top the cashew cheese and place a mint leave on top the gratin beside them. Remove some of the pickles from the jar, allow to drip off any excess liquid and neatly place it on the plate beside the gratin. Serve.