Celery and Pecan Gratin

Name: Celery and Pecan Gratin
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings as a side
Ingredients: 2 heads celery (about 3 1/2 pounds), outer stalks peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch long pieces; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 4 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf; Salt and black pepper; 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (2 ounces); 1/2 cup chopped pecans (2 ounces); 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (2 ounces); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup heavy cream

By Cybelle Tondu

Published Dec. 12, 2024

Celery and Pecan Gratin — Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes, plus about 30 minutes’ cooling
Rating: 5(45)
Comments: Read comments

A crisp and salty bread-crumb topping laced with sweet chopped pecans perfectly complements this creamy, silky celery bake. Peeling the tough outer celery stalks removes any stringy fibers, which can detract from the custardy texture of the final dish. Like many casseroles, a solid resting period pays off in the end, allowing the vegetables and sauce to cohere and firm up. The dish is perfect for making as part of a larger holiday meal, when oven space can be at a premium and flexible timing keeps things stress-free.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings as a side

2heads celery (about 3½ pounds), outer stalks peeled, cut into 1½-inch long pieces
1medium yellow onion, chopped
¼cup unsalted butter
4sprigs thyme
1bay leaf
Salt and black pepper
¾cup panko bread crumbs (2 ounces)
½cup chopped pecans (2 ounces)
½cup finely grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
2tablespoons olive oil
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½cups chicken or vegetable broth
½cup dry white wine
1tablespoon Dijon mustard
½cup heavy cream

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Step 2
Combine celery, onion, butter, thyme and bay leaf in a large pot and place over medium heat. Season well with salt and pepper, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until celery is crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, pecans, Parmesan and olive oil in a medium bowl and stir until bread crumbs are evenly coated in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Uncover the pot and add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until no dry flour remains. Add the chicken broth, wine and mustard and let simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Pluck out and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof serving dish. (The dish up to this point can be made up to 1 day ahead, the celery mixture and bread-crumb topping stored separately, tightly wrapped and refrigerated. Increase baking time as necessary.)
Step 5
Sprinkle the bread crumb topping over the celery mixture and bake for 20 minutes, until filling is bubbling at the edges and topping is golden brown. Let rest for about 30 minutes before serving to allow filling to firm up slightly.

Ratings

5 out of 5

45 user ratings

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Comments

Stella Luna6 months ago

Celery is underrated as a delicious cooked vegetable, and should not be relegated to mirepoix, soffrito, or as a vehicle for cheesy dips. Nevertheless, it does benefit from the structure of its outer fibers, especially when it is going to be baked, and pieces as small as 1.5 inches should not offend even picky eaters. It can also be combined with julienned celery root - with its own distinctive celery flavor. Our grandkids ate seconds.

Oregonian6 months ago

It may sound strange, but this is my favorite recipe to date from the NYT. This is, in part, that recipes really appreciating celery are rare. But more, everything really comes together. I made some little changes that were entirely in keeping with the original recipe. I made half a recipe so used a large shallot rather than half an onion. I can’t get thyme to grow so used a quarter tsp of dried thyme, and went with coarse homemade breadcrumbs rather than panko and cut the celery into 1” pieces, skipping the peeling. The pecans, the cheese, the sauce, the celery were wonderful. I can’t wait to make it with farm fresh celery next summer when it will be even better than with grocery store celery!

Ellen S5 months ago

@Babrinka I think what's meant by 'peel' is to remove the 'strings' that are likely to stay stringy even when cooked. If you break an outer stalk close to one end, snapping towards the outside, and pull the short piece down along the outside of the stalk, the strings will come off. If the strings don't stay attached when you snap it, they are probably tender enough to leave in.

Lisa Cannon2 months ago

Whoaaaa!!! This is incredible. First of all, it is easy and uses cheap ingredients mostly. It tastes like pot-pie filling but with none of the gloop or heaviness. I have made over a thousand NYT recipes and this is one of the best!!! Try as is!

Lisa Cannon2 months ago

Don’t skip peeling the outer ribs of the celery. Use a vegetable peeler this removes the tougher strings.

AwesomeJoanie5 months ago

Delicious. It'll be on next Thanksgiving menu, though I had it as a standalone simple meal.

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