Ingredients For the braised celery: 200g/7oz celery stalk, peeled, chopped 3cm/1¼in pieces 20g/¾oz shallots 1 clove garlic 1 bay leaf 1 sprig of thyme 400g/14oz water salt and pepper For the braised and pan fired chicory: 4 baby chicory heads (outer leaves removed) 20g/¾oz lemon juice 1 tsp salt 500g/1lb 2oz water 50g/1¾oz butter, unsalted Caramelized baby onions: 22 baby onions 50g/1¾oz butter Celeriac for the jus and garnish: 500g/1lb 2oz celeriac peeled and diced 2cm sq/¾in sq 100g/3½oz butter 300g/ 10½oz water or vegetable stock For the braised chestnuts: 200g/7oz peeled chestnuts 300g/10½oz water 20g/¾oz celery peelings 20g/¾oz butter 1 bay leaf 1 sprig thyme 1 tsp sugar
Method
1. For the braised celery: mix all the ingredients and braise the celery for 30-40 minutes, just under simmering point. Reserve. 2. For the roasted chicory: poach the chicory for 45 minutes at simmering point. Cool down, drain, exttract water with a cloth. Pan fry in foaming hazlenut butter for further 10 minutes. 3. For the celeriac jus and dice: cook the celeriac dice in foaming butter for about 30 minutes until dice is a dark brown colour. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve twelve of the best dices. Coat the remainder with the water and cook for 15 minutes. Extract juices in a conical strainer. Taste and correct seasoning. Reserve. 4. For the baby onions: pan fry the baby onions in foaming butter for 20 minutes, covered with buttered paper. Season with salt and pepper. 5. To cook the chestnuts: sweat the celery and chestnuts in butter. Add the herbs and seasoning and cook for 20 minutes. 6. To serve: re-heat all the vegetables and celeriac jus. Arrange the vegetables in a soup bowl and spoon the celeriac jus over.
Chef's note: a few slices of fresh truffle will go very nicely. Other vegetables could be added i.e. parsnips, swede, sweet potato or pumpkin.
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