Gratin of Celery Roots And Chestnuts

Ingredients

• 3 large celery roots, about 3 pounds
• 24 chestnuts, blanched and peeled, or two 12-ounce cans of vacuum-packed fresh-roasted chestnuts
• 1 quart milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Leaves from one bunch of celery, about 1/2 cup, for garnish (optional)
• 1 cup vegetable oil (optional)

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    408 calories; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 53 milligrams cholesterol; 693 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Preparation

1. Using a stainless-steel knife, peel the celery root and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Put the celery root, chestnuts and milk in a pot over medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
2. Puree chestnuts and cooked celery root in a food processor, drizzling in heavy cream to loosen the mixture. Add all but 1 teaspoon of the butter, the salt and the white and cayenne pepper. Grease a 1-quart casserole with the remaining butter. Push the puree through a fine-mesh strainer into the casserole and, if serving later, cover with foil and refrigerate. The gratin can be stored for two days and reheated for 15 minutes in a 300-degree oven before serving.
3. For an optional garnish, deep-fry celery leaves in vegetable oil, drain well on paper towels and sprinkle over gratin just before serving.