Leek Celery Root Stuffing Recipes

BUTTERED STUFFING WITH CELERY AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Using your hands, tear bread, crust and all, into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. (Alternatively, you can cut the bread with a knife, but I prefer the way the craggy bits toast and soak up the goods.) Place chunks on a rimmed baking sheet, and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. If you're short on time, you can toast the chunks in a 300-degree oven instead, tossing occasionally, until lightly crisped, but not browned, on the outside.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine olive oil and 4 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the garlic and leeks. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are bright green and totally softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until bright green and tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add white wine, and cook until reduced by about three-quarters, 3 to 4 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes, if using, and remove from heat.
• Whisk together broth and eggs in a medium bowl. Place bread in a large bowl (you want a lot of room for mixing, so go big), and add the leek and celery mixture, parsley, chives and marjoram. Stir to coat so that everything is evenly distributed, trying not to totally crush the bread. Pour the egg mixture over everything and toss a few times. Let sit a minute or two and give another toss. Repeat twice until all the liquid has absorbed and evenly distributed to each and every piece of bread.
• Transfer mixture to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish (a 9-by-13 pan also works), making sure not to pack it too tightly. (You want to keep the bread in the stuffing as light as possible.) Dot the top with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, making sure to pay extra attention to the corners, where the stuffing will get the crispiest.
• Cover with foil and bake until the stuffing is sizzling at the edges and completely cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. If it's not yet time to serve, remove stuffing from oven and set aside. (If you are nearly ready to serve, proceed directly to the next step and continue without pausing.)
• When ready to serve, remove foil and increase temperature to 425 degrees. Bake stuffing until crispy, crunchy and impossibly golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter with celery leaves, if using, and serve.

CLASSIC STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and celery, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage, stir to combine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock, and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid has reduced by half.
• Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, including the remaining stock; mix to combine.

CELERY ROOT AND LEEK SOUP WITH SAGE OIL

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat, to prevent the vegetables from browning.
• While the leeks are cooking, start cleaning and chopping the celery root and potatoes. Once the leeks are softened and translucent, add the chopped garlic and a pinch of salt.
• Finish cleaning the celery root and potatoes. Cut the vegetables into large, equally sized chunks.
• Add the cleaned celery root and potato chunks, and 10 cups of water to the pot, enough to cover the vegetables by 1 inch. Raise the heat to high. Tie the thyme and sage together and drop into the pot (reserve the extra sage leaves for the oil). Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Bring everything to a boil; reduce immediately to medium-low heat and simmer until all the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Remove and discard the herb bunch. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add water to adjust the consistency, if necessary.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. In a medium skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until they turn deep green, 10 to 15 seconds. Remove from the heat.
• Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Drizzle sage oil over the soup and nestle a few of the sage leaves on top. Serve with optional wedges of lemon. Serve immediately