Celery Au Gratin - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 heads celery
1 medium onion
2 ounces butter
1 1/2 ounces flour
6 ounces double cream
5 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (, or other strong-flavoured cheese)
2 carrots
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 stalk parsley
6 ounces milk
7 ounces reduced stock
2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
seasoning

Preparation

Trim the celery and peel each stalk using potato peeler to remove the tough strings.
Cut the sticks into 1/4\" by 21/2\" chunks.
Preheat the oven to 355 F.
Roughly dice the carrot and onions.
Place these and the herbs in a heatproof casserole.
Put the celery on top and cover two thirds of it with water.
Season it.
Cover this with foil and fit the casserole lid on top of the foil.
Cook in the oven for one hour.
Remove the celery to a container, leaving the carrot and onion in the casserole and reduce the liquid to approx 7 fl oz.
Strain the liquid and reserve it.
Melt the butter in a saucepan.
Stir in the flour and cook this mixture for a couple of minutes.
Next, incorporate the milk and then the cream.
Cook the sauce until it thickens.
Stir in the reduced stock and the cheese.
Cook the sauce for a couple of minutes and season it; it should be the thickness of heavy cream.
Layer the sauce and the celery in an au gratin dish.
Scatter the breadcrumbs on top.
Bake for 40 minutes at 355 F.
If necessary the surface can be browned under the broiler.