From “Vegetable Literacy” by Deborah Madison
Ingredients
- A scant 1 pound of potatoes
- 1 celery root (about 12 oz or more)
- 4 tablespoons sunflower seed oil, butter or a mixture
- 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, finely diced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- A few pinches of celery seed
- 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
- Finely chopped parsley or celery leaves, to finish
Instructions
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Scrub the potatoes, and then peel them or not as you wish. Coarsely grate them on a hand grater or in a food processor, then peel and grate the celery root as well.
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Heat the oil in a 10 or 12 inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and celery root and season with 3/4 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the celery seeds.
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Stir to coat the vegetables with the oil, then let the mixture sit undisturbed for 5 minutes or so. Fold the browned and crisp outside into the centre, then pat the mixture down again. Continue in this fashion, allowing the vegetables to brown and crisp before folding them together, until all are cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes
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Now, pat the mixture into the pan one more time, forming a nice even cake, and cook a few minutes longer so that it develops a golden crust. Scatter the cheese over the surface and leave to melt into the cake.
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Season with pepper and add the celery leaves. Cut into wedges and serve.