Sluttishly Savoury: Celeriac, Butternut Squash and Mushroom Gratin

This weather is all about comfort and what's more comforting that melty, cheese loaded carbs? Step up to the plate the gratin! Gratins are my go-to dish for using up veg, you can pretty much shove anything in a gratin and it will taste wonderful.

Celeriac is one of my favourite winter vegetables, some people say it's ugly but I think it's beautiful - all craggly and wonky, what's not to love? I've also thrown in some leftover butternut squash and portobello mushrooms but you could use potatoes, courgettes, carrots, aubergines, spinach, whatever you have knocking about in your veg tray. I love garlic and chilli so put quite a bit in but I keep the birdeye chillies whole so as to get more flavour than heat from them. If you prefer it a bit hotter then you can chop them up. I also use my porcini butter in this to give it an extra mushroom kick, it's really easy to make but you could throw in a few whole dried porcini instead if you prefer.

You'll need: (serves 4 as a main)

• 1 celeriac, peeled
• half a butternut squash, peeled and seeds removed
• 5 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 600ml double cream (I use Elmlea half fat to make it a little less naughty)
• 1 tablespoon dried garlic granules
• 1 tablespoon dried onion granules
• 2 teaspoons powdered chicken stock (or veg)
• 4 whole birdeye chillies
• pinch dried chilli flakes
• 1 heaped tablespoon porcini butter (or a handful dried porcini)
• freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
• 200g mature cheddar, grated

Make it!

1. Pre heat oven to 200C. Using a mandolin, processor or sharp knife finely slice the veg about 2mm thick and put in a roasting tin.
2. Combine the cream, onion, garlic, stock powder, porcini butter and chillies in a saucepan and heat gently whilst stirring. Once it just starts to boil stir in almost all of your grated cheese and season. 
3. Pour your sauce over the veg, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, cover with foil and roast for about 45 minutes then remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes to brown the top.