Scalloped Celery Food

SCALLOPED CELERY

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery in 4 tablespoons butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove celery with a slotted spoon and set aside., Stir flour and salt into skillet until smooth. Gradually add milk; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, green pepper, pimientos and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Return celery to pan; stir to coat. , Pour into a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the celery mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TRUFFLED POTATO CELERY ROOT PUREE

Steps:

• Melt the unsalted butter in a medium (10-inch) saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the potatoes, celery root, heavy cream, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Be careful?don't let the vegetables scorch on the bottom of the pan!
• In two batches, pour the leek and potato mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Return the puree to the saute pan, stir in the truffle butter, taste for seasonings, and keep warm over very low heat. If the puree gets too thick, add a little more heavy cream.
• If it hasn't already been removed, peel off the tough strip of muscle on the side of each scallop. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and, when the oil is almost smoking hot, add the scallops in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms. Don't crowd the scallops or they'll steam rather than sear. Using a small metal spatula, turn the scallops and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until just cooked through.
• Spoon the warm puree onto 3 dinner plates. Place the scallops on the puree, drizzle with the basil oil, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve warm.

CELERY GRATIN

Steps:

• Combine 1 bunch sliced celery, 1 teaspoon salt, and water to cover in a medium skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium low and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Push the celery to one side of the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons each butter and flour and 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and pepper to the other side; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add 2 cups milk; cook, stirring all of the ingredients together, until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Mix 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons grated parmesan, 3 chopped scallions and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; sprinkle over the celery mixture and broil until golden.

CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH HAM

Steps:

• In a bowl, add the canned soups, milk, garlic powder and pepper; stir to mix well.
• In a greased 13x9-inch baking pan, add half the sliced potatoes.
• Toss in half the onions, over the potatoes.
• Pour half the soup mixture over the potatoes.
• Sprinkle half of the cheese over the potatoes.
• Place the sliced ham pieces evenly over the potatoes.
• Add the remaining sliced potatoes, onions, soup mixture, and cheese.
• Cover, and bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, uncover the pan, and continue baking for 30 minutes more.
• Note: Sometimes I'll use ham steaks that come in a 16-oz pkg., which I cut them into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces. (I used John Morrell Ham Steaks, and I used the entire pkg.). Also, I think one could add a bit more garlic powder & white pepper (possibly an 1/8 teaspoon more of each).

CELERY ROOT RéMOULADE AND PAN-SEARED SEA SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients and season with salt and pepper. (Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.)
• With a sharp knife peel celery root and cut into thin matchsticks. Add celery root to sauce with salt and pepper to taste and toss.
• Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary and pat scallops dry. Season scallops with salt and pepper.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté scallops in batches with out crowding, turning them once, until golden and just cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer scallops as sautéed with tongs to a plate.
• Mound celery root rémoulade in center of each of 6 plates and arrange scallops around it. Garnish celery root rémoulade and scallops with chives and tarragon.

CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES

Steps:

• Blend onion, celery leaves, parsley, flour, butter, salt, pepper and milk in a blender, mixing thouroughly.
• Arrange potato slices in a buttered, 2 quart baking dish.
• Pour blended mixture over potatoes.
• Cover loosely with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Remove tinfoil half way through. Sprinkle with grated cheese, paprika and cayenne and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
• Broil until chesse is bubbly and golden.