Rec: Potato & Celery Root Anna from Fine Cooking magazine...Here's what I made>>
We were having steaks so I thought this would go well and it did. It was also addictively delicious. How could it miss with all that butter? I did have a couple of tablespoons to pour off at the end. I sort of halved the recipe, used a cast-iron skillet and pressed with a plate, skipping the parchment. I also didn't bother with trying to turn it out, just cut into pieces and flipped them onto the plates. I wish celery root was more available here.
Potato & Celery Root Anna
This dish is traditionally made with all potatoes, but we like the extra flavor that celery root adds.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 celery roots (about 2 lb. total), peeled
1 1/2 lb. red-skinned or other waxy potatoes, peeled
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 450°F. Set the rack in the middle and lay a piece of foil on the oven floor to catch any drips.
Melt the butter and skim off all the foam from the surface. Spoon the yellow clarified butter into a bowl, discarding the remaining milky residue.
Cut the celery root and potatoes into 3/8-inch slices (if the roots are large, cut them in half first).
Heat a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. Add a few spoonfuls of the butter and, starting from the center, quickly arrange a layer of potato slices in overlapping concentric circles. Drizzle with more butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next, arrange a layer of celery root over the potatoes, moistening with butter and seasoning with salt and pepper. Continue making alternating layers; they'll mound slightly in the center of the pan. Every few seconds, gently shake the pan to be sure the bottom layer of potatoes isn't sticking.
When all the slices have been arranged in the pan, cover it with kitchen parchment, and press with a heavy weight to compress the slices. Remove the weight and parchment, cover the pan with a lid or some foil, and bake for 20 min. Remove the cover, top with parchment again and press the slices. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the celery root and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown, another 20 to 25 min. Carefully tilt the pan to pour off any excess butter. Shake the pan to loosen the first layer so you can turn the dish onto a platter. If it seems to stick, slide a metal spatula underneath. Hold a large plate over the pan and quickly invert it to release the cake. Serve right away.
Serves 6
Fine Cooking December 1997/January 1998
