This gratin is ideal for winter cooking, making the most of celeriac, an underused ingredient that brings depth and warmth to simple dishes. It is easy to adapt, works with or without the ham, and helps turn everyday vegetables into a satisfying, low-waste meal.

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 300g/10½oz potato (1 large baking potato), peeled or scrubbed and cut into 1cm/½ in slices
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley
  • 350g/12oz peeled celeriac (about half a large one), finely sliced
  • 50–100g/1¾–3½oz air-cured ham, such as Parma or Serrano, thickly sliced (optional)
  • 1½ tbsp capers, rinsed well and drained
  • 300ml/10fl oz full-fat crème fraîche
  • 500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk
  • 1½ tbsp Dijon or grainy mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the potato, shallots, parsley, celeriac and ham, if using. Add the capers and season with pepper and a pinch of salt. Tip into an ovenproof dish.
  3. Heat the crème fraîche and milk in a small pan. Stir in the mustard and garlic and season with half a teaspoon flaky sea salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then pour over the gratin. It will not cover the vegetables – that is fine.
  4. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.