Stewed Celery

Ingredients

• 5 or 6 celery roots
• salt
• 1 walnut-sized piece fresh butter
• water
• béchamel or white sauce
• broth or common stock
• flour
• arrow-root
• 1 small cupful cream
• pepper

Instructions

1. Trim five or six fine celery roots to the length of your serving dish.
2. Remove all coarser leaves and green tops from the celery.
3. Trim the root ends neatly and wash the celery thoroughly in several waters until very clean.
4. Boil the celery tender with a little salt and a piece of fresh butter the size of a walnut in just enough water to cover it completely, for 25 to 30 minutes or longer if needed until tender.
5. Drain the celery well and arrange it on a very hot dish.
6. Pour a thick béchamel or white sauce over the celery and serve.
7. Alternatively: stew the celery in broth or common stock instead of water until tender.
8. Drain the celery thoroughly from the broth and serve with very rich, thickened Espagnole or brown gravy.
9. For a simpler method: slice the celery and simmer it in just enough good broth to cover it until soft.
10. Add a thickening of flour and butter or arrow-root, along with salt, pepper, and a small cupful of cream.