Celeriac and smoked bacon dauphinoise recipe

This wonderfully creamy, hearty dish is packed full of flavour – the perfect pairing of celeriac and smoked bacon, wrapped up in a tasty garlic cream sauce, all topped off with gorgeous gruyère cheese. Enjoy this versatile vegetable and bacon dish on its own, or serve as a substitute for potatoes with a roast joint. Easy and quick to prepare, it is hard to beat and won’t cost the earth. A great combination of soft, meltingly creamy celeriac with a gooey, delicious cheese topping, it’s sure to please.

Ingredients

• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• A little olive oil for frying
• 1 medium-sized celeriac, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 150ml milk
• 150ml double cream
• A knob of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• A little salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g grated gruyère cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°C/Gas Mark 6.
2. Fry the bacon lardons in the olive oil, until they are crispy.
3. Put the celeriac, milk, cream, butter, garlic, salt and pepper in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
4. Mix the bacon lardons into the celeriac mixture and pour into a greased baking dish.
5. Sprinkle the gruyère cheese over the top of the mixture and bake in the oven for 15 mins, until the celeriac is tender and the topping is golden brown.