Potato & Celery Root Gratin with Leeks

Ugh, I blame myself for going against my own instincts and making this. There's literally nothing going on here, bland layered on bland with a coating of beige, then the worst part, I had to sit and grin sheepishly while my family politely chewed until I just threw it all in the compost.

• andy_andersen

• Ontario

• 5/14/2019

First let me say that the hallmark of a good recipe is whatever you do to it, as long as you honor the flavors, it is still good. That is the case here. I used this to use up many varied veges in my fridge. I used 1/3rd cup of cream and 1 cup of 2% milk, 1 tsp thyme and 1 tsp of tarragon, 2 garlic cloves minced in the small saucepan. I cooked 1/2 a bag of Trader Joe's kale cooked in olive oil ( slightly burned some of it and frankly that added to it). Cooked the leeks in butter as directed. Cut up one fennel bulb, 2 stalks of celery, 2 parsnips and 3 multicolored carrots from Trader Joes. Grated the swiss cheese I had into > 2 & 1/2 cups. Greasing with olive oil a 13 x 9 ceramic dish, I layered cooked the cooked kale then the parsnips then grated cheese, cut up celery and fennel and cooked leeks then grated cheese, finishing with cut up carrots then grated cheese and pouring the cream mixture on top finishing with with grated nutmeg and fennel fronds. Covered with aluminum foil and baked for 1 hour. My family loved it.

• jg1206

• New Mexico

• 12/31/2016

Decent.

• lobstermonster

• Buffalo, NY

• 9/22/2016

Made this for Christmas Dinner along side Prime Rib. Absolutely delicious!!! The flavors of the leek and celery root are so refreshing. A nice twist to your basic scalloped potatoes. Don't worry if it looks a little soupy when it comes out of the oven. It will thicken as it sits. WONDERFUL!!!

• chefkrob

• Denver, CO

• 12/29/2015

Absolutely delicious!!!!

• michellelovell

• Lafayette, CA

• 12/28/2015

Why are there not 5 forks? My whole family agrees that this is the most delicious meal I have ever prepared. We have never tried Celery Root before, and what an amazing introduction. Followed the recipe step by step, word for word. Will absolutely make it again. Perhaps even tomorrow. And the next day. Holy cow, that was delicious!

• LoveoftheDark

• Salem, OR

• 12/24/2015

Everyone loved this. My husband declared this the best dish ever. I had to use up some parsnips and leeks, and this recipe looked like I could alter it enough to be sufficient, plus I had most of the ingredients at hand. I didn't have sufficient celery root (only a small 1/4 cup). I used what I had and added parsnips which I microwaved first for a minute to soften up. The sauce was excellent - Again, I didn't have enough cream, but as I was using double cream I added some water. It took longer to cook then the time indicated (about 20 minutes more) but was delicious.

• California57

• Staffordshire UK

• 3/30/2015

I made this for Thanksgiving, based on the strength of the reviews here. I followed the recipe and cooking times exactly, but both the potatoes and celery root were undercooked and the flavor was meh--underwhelming and uninteresting. This recipe was a lot of work for just meh, especially for a meal as important as Thanksgiving.

• jspress

• New Jersey

• 11/29/2013

Used 1/2&1/@ and found it very soupy too. Fortunately I made ahead to reheat later and scooped out the watery residue. Do not think I will make again.

• miefmuffin

• Sacramento, CA

• 11/28/2013

This is so similar to a recipe called White Winter Vegetables Baked in Cream from The Greens Restaurant Cookbook which I have using for years. It uses 2-3 chopped leeks, 1 fennel bulb, 1 celery root, 4-6 small red potatoes and or turnips (I use both). I love all these vegetables and even add sliced cauliflower to it. Oddly, I love potatoes but it's the other vegetables that make this dish yummy. It includes 2 c. cream, 3 tb. butter, 8-10 branches fresh thyme.Bread crumbs and some othe butter top it. It is rich, but the cookbook suggests serving it with something light such as spinach or chard. I use this dish at Easter. Baked or poached fish is good with it, too. So, since we only have it once a year, we go for the richness!

• nwheaven

• Bellingham, WA

• 11/8/2013

YES. Just yes.

• beccamutt

• 3/30/2013

To "a cook" re: leeks- you never use the dark green leaves at the top, only the white and pale green part of the leek at the bottom. When a recipe calls for "3 leeks", that means just 3 individual stalks; usually at the market,the leeks will come bundles with 3 stalks...

• Anonymous

• La Verne, Ca

• 11/26/2012

I meant, the best "gratin" they've had...

• Anonymous

• La Verne, Ca

• 11/26/2012

I have made this several times and everyone raves that it's the best grain they've ever had, however, I leave out the celery root as to me it adds nothing in my opinion and is not missed at all. I also reduce the heavy cream to 2 cups and use 3 good-size potatoes and it serves 8 easily. People always want seconds, though!

• Anonymous

• La Verne,Ca

• 11/26/2012

I used about 1-1/2 cups heavy cream and 1-1/2 cups of half-and-half, not because I'm a fat-o-phobe but because I wanted to use up what I already had. It did turn out a tad soupy but still delicious! My only complaint with this recipe is it calls "3 leeks." A leek plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths -- so does that mean three bundles or three sheaths? I used one bundle (including the dark green parts); I probably will use more next time.

• Anonymous

• 11/10/2012