TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Céleri-Branche BraiséFrench Braised Celery
- Total
- 2 hr 28 min
- Difficulty
- ★★☆☆☆
- Serves
- 4 servings
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 2 hr 13 min
Whole celery heads are blanched, tied and braised in the oven with stock over pork belly and aromatic vegetables. Reduce the liquid and finish with butter and lemon juice to pour over the celery. A French accompaniment to roast beef or veal.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
Authenticity Score
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Ingredients (4 servings)
100Authenticity- Whole head of celery2 headsAbout 1 kg each. Buy whole heads: separately sold stalks cannot form the tied shape.
- Thinly sliced pork belly150 gLine the bottom of the pan.
- Onion1 onionThinly slice.
- Carrot1 carrotCut into thin rounds.
- Unsalted chicken stock1000 mlWarm before use. Prepare 1 L undiluted unsalted liquid chicken stock, plus more of the same stock as needed to just cover the celery in the tray.
- Unsalted butter25 g10g for the pan and 15g to finish.
- 100% lemon juice5 ml
- Salt34 g30g for blanching, 3g for the celery and, if needed, 1g to finish.
- Ground white pepper0.5 g
Method
Trim the celery to 20cm and remove strings
- 1 Remove 3–4 tough outer celery stalks and cut off the leaf ends so the heads are 20cm long from the base.
- 2 Trim the soil-covered base to a point, as though sharpening a pencil.
- 3 Spread the stalks slightly and wash away soil under running water. Peel the strings from the outer stalks from base to tip, then halve the heads lengthwise.
- 4 Meanwhile(While trimming) Bring 4L water with 30g salt to a boil over high heat in a large pot.
Ready when
Continue when the 4 half-heads are all 20cm long and the stalks remain attached at their bases.
Caution
Cutting too much off the base separates the stalks.
Blanch for 10 minutes, cool, season and tie
- 1 Put the celery in the boiling salted water, cook for 10 minutes and transfer to cold water.
- 2 Drain, gently spread the stalks and sprinkle with 3g salt and 0.3g white pepper.
- 3 Gather the stalks of each half-head back together and tie each half-head in 2 places with kitchen twine.
- 4 Meanwhile(While blanching) Preheat the oven to 180°C, thinly slice the onion and carrot and warm 1L chicken stock.
Ready when
Continue when the celery is slightly softened and holds its tied shape.
Tips
Blanching softens the celery’s harsh flavor.
Arrange celery over pork and vegetables and add stock
- 1 Butter an ovenproof deep roasting tray about 30×35cm and at least 6cm deep with 10g unsalted butter. Line with pork belly, onion and carrot.
- 2 Arrange the celery in 1 layer, pour in warm stock to just cover and seal tightly around the edges with foil.
Ready when
Continue when the stock reaches the top of the celery and the foil is sealed around the tray.
Braise under foil at 180°C for 1 hour 30 minutes
- 1 Keep covered with foil and braise in the oven at 180°C for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Ready when
Continue when a skewer passes easily through the celery base and the stalks are translucent.
Caution
The tray is hot and holds plenty of liquid; keep level while carrying with thick oven mitts.
Strain and reduce the juices; finish with butter and lemon
- 1 Lift out the celery, remove the twine, arrange on warm plates and cover with foil.
- 2 Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, skim off floating fat and reduce over high heat to about 150ml.
- 3 Turn off the heat, stir in 15g unsalted butter and 5ml lemon juice, taste and add 1g salt if needed, then pour over the celery.
Ready when
The dish is ready when the liquid is thick and glossy and flows over the celery.
About this dish
In the late 17th century, La Quintinie, who managed Louis XIV’s kitchen garden, regarded celery as a salad vegetable at its best only from late autumn through winter. The heads were tied and earthed up, blanching the stalks over 3 weeks to a month; celery was also listed among vegetables harvested in January.
Celery accompanies meat as well as appearing in salads. In Anjou in the Loire Valley, celery hearts are served with the regional specialty of veal leg. In the early 20th century, Escoffier also paired roast beef and braised celery in his October and November menus.
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