CELERIAC AIGRETTES
Half a root of celeriac, 1 oz. butter, ¹⁄₂ pint water, 4 ozs. flour, 3 ozs. grated cheese, 2 eggs, 1 yolk, seasoning.
Half a root of celeriac, 1 oz. butter, ¹⁄₂ pint water, 4 ozs. flour, 3 ozs. grated cheese, 2 eggs, 1 yolk, seasoning.
Method.—Wash and peel the celeriac and boil it in salted water until it is quite tender; drain it well and when it is cool cut it up into pieces (rather larger than a walnut) of a convenient size. Put the butter into a saucepan with the water, and when it boils stir in gradually the flour, and do not cease stirring until a smooth, thick paste is formed which leaves the sides of the saucepan. Remove the pan from the stove and add the eggs (one at a time) and the third yolk; then the cheese and salt, pepper and cayenne, and spread the paste on a flat dish. When it is cool, envelop the pieces of celeriac in about a teaspoonful of it, and as each piece is ready, drop it into a saucepan containing plenty of hot fat which is just on the point of boiling; remove the aigrettes the moment they are a golden brown, serve them piled up on a hot dish, and garnish with parsley. Unless the aigrettes are to be served as a savoury, they should be accompanied by potatoesprepared as follows: Cut four or five cold, steamed potatoes (a close and not a floury kind must be selected) into small square pieces of about the size of dice; flour them lightly and season them with salt and pepper. Melt one ounce of butter in a sauté pan; add a dessertspoonful of minced onion, and when it has cooked gently for two minutes, add the potatoes and stir them until they are lightly browned, taking care that the heat is not sufficient to burn them. Add a quarter of a pint of nicely-flavoured vegetable broth; let it boil for a few moments, then stir in a dessertspoonful of chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon-juice, and the potatoes will be ready to serve.