Celery Root Flan and Roasted Sausages Recipe
My sister and I make this celery root flan all the time, we even do a soup version! That’s how much we love it. If you have not had a flan before, think savory custard and you will get the idea. I am serving this alongside a recipe that is barely a recipe it is so simple, i have been making it forever and it never disappoints, really don’t think it is possible for it not to be a home run every time you make it - a roasted sausage that goes into the oven along with grapes, yup grapes, and onions, crushed garlic, fennel - so simple and so delicious.
Recipe featured on Rachael Ray in Tuscany.
Ingredients
For the Celery Root Flan:
- Butter and flour for coating ramekins or tin molds
- 2 tablespoons EVOO
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large or 2 medium leeks, whites and light green parts only, washed and coarsely chopped
- Salt and white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 large celery root, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- About 3 cups of heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
- 6 eggs, beaten
- Choices for garnishing: chopped toasted hazelnuts, crispy shallots, pomegranate seeds or finely chopped celery leaves
For the Roasted Sausages:
- 12 links fresh sweet Italian sausage with fennel seed
- 1 large bulb fennel, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bunches black or red seedless grapes
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup EVOO
- 3 tablespoons thick aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 loaf of ciabatta or other crusty bread of choice, charred
Directions
For the Celery Root Flan:
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Butter and flour 12 ramekins or small tin molds and place in a large roasting pan.
Heat oil and butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add leeks and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg and cook until softened. Add celery root, garlic, just enough cream to cover the ingredients and pecorino cheese to the pot. Bring to a low boil and cook until tender and soft, about 20-30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Add the eggs to a high powered blender and carefully add celery root mixture a little at a time, puree until smooth.
Fill the ramekins ¾ way with the celery root puree. Fill the large roasting pan with a few inches of water. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and cook until firm but not brown, 35 minutes or so.
Let cool to room temperature. Flip the flan out of the ramekins and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with toppings of your choice.
For the Roasted Sausages:
Preheat the oven to 450 F with a rack in the center of the oven.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Arrange sausages and fennel, onions, garlic and grapes on the prepared tray, season with salt and pepper and cover with EVOO to coat. Pierce sausage links with fork tines.
Roast until browned and juicy.
Top with aged balsamic drizzle and serve with crusty bread.
