Comforting

Yotam Ottolenghi's potato and celeriac gratin with caper brown butter

Name: Yotam Ottolenghi's potato and celeriac gratin recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 80g unsalted butter; 30.00 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing; 360g onion; 5 garlic cloves, crushed; 30.00 ml thyme leaves, plus 3 sprigs; 25.00 ml white miso; 180ml dry white wine; 800g celeriac; 680g yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick batons; 3 tsp plain flour; 300ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock); 150g Gruyere, roughly grated; 40.00 ml baby capers, drained and patted dry; 2 lemons; 1/4 lightly packed cup finely chopped fresh chives

2 ratings

P42 Potato and celeriac gratin with caper brown butter

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by Yotam Ottolenghi

Jul 07, 2023

This creamy, cheesy potato and celeriac gratin is the type of dish that comfort food dreams are made of.

What you need to know before you start

This dish will need a little over 2 hours to bake in the oven, so start this recipe earlier in the evening if you plan to enjoy it for dinner that night. The gratin will also need an additional 20 minutes to settle after it has finished cooking.

Choose a 2.5L-capacity baking dish, a sharp knife for cutting the produce, and a box grater to shred the Gruyere cheese.

Why is this the best potato and celeriac gratin recipe?

Nothing says ‘comfort’ quite like this cheesy luscious gratin from celebrated chef and author Yotam Ottolenghi. Unlike traditional gratins, this version heroes celeriac, a root vegetable with a celery-like flavour and undertones of sweetness. The complex aromas of white miso is also used for a unique twist, thanks to its umami characteristics.

What is the difference between scalloped and gratin potatoes?

While both are popular potato dishes with similar ingredients, there is one subtle difference: gratin potatoes are baked with cheese and scalloped potatoes are not.

What ingredients you’ll need

Unsalted butter: Butter adds a rich flavour and creamy texture to the gratin. It’s also used to create the caper brown butter.

Extra virgin olive oil: Oil is added to the pan to prevent the butter from burning. It also imparts a distinct, fruity and slightly peppery aroma.

Onions: Onions add a natural sweetness that balances the savoury elements of the gratin.

Garlic: Garlic adds a robust depth to the gratin and works well with the other ingredients like onions, herbs and spices.

Thyme leaves: Fresh thyme has a distinct, earthy and slightly minty flavour that adds oomph to the gratin.

White miso: White miso adds layers of complexity to the dish, enhanced by its rich umami flavour, and contributes to the smooth creamy texture.

Dry white wine: White wine introduces a subtle acidity that helps balance the richness of the cheese in the gratin.

Celeriac: Sometimes referred to as celery root, the unique flavour profile adds earthy and nutty notes while adding body and texture.

Yellow-flesh potatoes: These varieties are great for a gratin as they have a rich and buttery taste. We use Yukon Gold and Mayan Gold potatoes but you can also use kipfler.

Plain flour: Flour is used to thicken the sauce of the gratin.

Chicken stock: Liquid from the stock helps to achieve the right consistency for the sauce. You can also use vegetable stock if you prefer.

Gruyere: Gruyere has a distinct nutty and slightly sweet flavour that adds depth and complexity to the gratin.

Baby capers: The briny and tangy notes of capers when paired with a brown butter sauce is the perfect flavour enhancer to the finished gratin.

Lemons: The juice of the lemons is added to the caper brown butter and squeezed over the top of the gratin to add brightness.

Fresh chives: Finely chopped chives add a mild onion-like flavour and a freshness to the caper butter.

How to make gratin without cream

While this dish is not completely dairy free, thanks to the use of butter and cheese, a gratin can be made without cream. A creamy texture can be achieved with the use of flour, stock, miso paste and white wine.

Begin by preparing the base of the dish with the butter, aromatics, miso and wine. This is then combined with flour-coated potatoes, celeriac and stock and baked in the oven until the cheese is added to create a lusciously creamy and decadent dish.

How to store leftover potato and celeriac gratin

Store cooked and cooled gratin in an airtight container in the fridge. If you have plenty of leftovers, you may choose to divide it into smaller portions. Eat within 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a baking dish in a 180°C/160°C fan-forced oven, covered in foil.

What to serve with potato and celeriac gratin

While this potato and celeriac gratin can be served on its own, you may choose to serve it as part of a larger feast. Opt for roasted meats like lamb or chicken, a fresh leafy green salad or simply steamed green beans.

If you love Yotam Ottolenghi's potato and celeriac gratin with caper brown butter recipe, try this

First time cooking with a celeriac? Don’t let it be your last! Put this often overlooked vegetable to work with some of our favourite recipes:

80g unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
2 medium (360g) onions, peeled, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tbs thyme leaves, plus 3 sprigs
1 1/4 tbs white miso
180ml dry white wine
large celeriac (800g), peeled and cut into 1cm-thick batons (600g peeled)
680g yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick batons
3 tsp plain flour
300ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
150g Gruyere, roughly grated
2 tbs baby capers, drained and patted dry
2 lemons
1/4 lightly packed cup finely chopped fresh chives

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
2.

Add 30g butter and all the oil to a medium frypan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add onions and 1/2 tsp salt flakes, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and have taken on a light colouring, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and thyme leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in miso and wine, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
3.

In a large bowl, very gently toss together celeriac, potatoes and flour with 1 1/2 tsp salt flakes and a generous grind of black pepper. Stir in the onion mixture to coat, then transfer everything into a 2.5L-capacity baking dish, piling vegetables haphazardly, so that batons are pointing in different directions. Pour in stock. Lightly grease a piece of foil with a little oil, then tightly cover the pan with foil (oiled side down) and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until vegetables have cooked through.
4.

Remove foil, and turn oven up to 210°C/190°C fan-forced. Sprinkle over Gruyere and return dish to oven for 30 minutes, or until nicely browned on top, rotating dish halfway. Leave to settle for at least 20 minutes while you make the brown butter.
5.

Add remaining butter and the thyme sprigs to a small saucepan, and place over medium heat. Once melted, cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it starts to smell nutty (add more or less time if necessary). Add capers (carefully, as they might spit) and cook for 4 more minutes, or until they darken and burst. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbs lemon juice from 1 lemon, chives and another good grind of black pepper.
6.

Pour caper brown butter all over the top of the gratin and serve warm, with the remaining lemon sliced into wedges to squeeze alongside.