Roasted Celery Hearts with Truffle Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 stalks Celery hearts (large celery stalks, trimmed) (Trim ends, peel outer layer with a vegetable peeler to keep shape)
• 1 whole Lemon (Half for rubbing peeled celery, half for finishing sauce)
• 1 tsp Sea salt (crystal) (Season celery before sous‑vide and again before baking)
• ½ tsp Freshly ground black pepper (Season to taste)
• 150 g Hard vegetarian cheese (e.g., aged Emmental or Gruyère) (Slice super‑fine for layering)
• 50 g Preserved truffle slices (in Madeira) (Thinly sliced; if unavailable use truffle oil sparingly)
• 30 g Unsalted butter (For emulsifying the sauce)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (For bag seasoning and sauce finish)
• 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped (Garnish for sauce)
• 100 ml Madeira wine (Reduces with truffle brine for sauce)
• 150 ml Water (Mixed with truffle brine for reduction)

Instructions

1. Peel and protect celery

   Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer skin of each celery heart, keeping the stalk intact. Rub the peeled stalks with half a lemon to prevent oxidation.

   Time: PT5M

2. Bag for sous‑vide

   Place the peeled celery hearts in a zip‑lock bag. Add a pinch of sea salt, then seal using the water‑displacement method (submerge bag partially, squeeze out air, seal).

   Time: PT5M

3. Sous‑vide poach

   Pre‑heat the sous‑vide water bath to 95‑98°C. Submerge the sealed bag and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.

   Time: PT1H15M

   Temperature: 95-98°C

4. Reserve cooking liquid

   Remove the bag, pour the liquid into a measuring cup (this is the celery jus) and set aside. Pat the celery hearts dry with paper towels.

   Time: PT5M

5. Slice cheese and truffle

   Thinly slice the hard cheese and the preserved truffle. Aim for slices thin enough to melt quickly (about 1 mm).

   Time: PT10M

6. Assemble layers

   On a clean surface, lay a celery heart, then a slice of cheese, followed by a slice of truffle. Repeat until the stalk is fully covered, ending with a cheese slice on top. Season lightly with sea salt and black pepper.

   Time: PT10M

7. Bake to finish

   Place the assembled celery hearts on a baking tray. Bake in a pre‑heated oven at 140°C for 25 minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden and the celery is tender.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 140°C

8. Prepare truffle‑celery sauce

   In a saucepan, combine the truffle brine (from the jar) with an equal amount of water. Bring to a boil and reduce by half (about 5 minutes). Add the reserved celery jus, then whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until the sauce emulsifies. Finish with a pinch of salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.

   Time: PT10M

9. Rest and plate

   Remove the celery from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice each stalk into 2‑inch pieces, arrange on a warmed plate, and drizzle generously with the truffle‑celery sauce.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

260

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Celery hearts (large celery stalks, trimmed): Celeriac hearts
• Instead of Lemon: Lime
• Instead of Sea salt (crystal): Kosher salt
• Instead of Freshly ground black pepper: White pepper
• Instead of Hard vegetarian cheese (e.g., aged Emmental or Gruyère): Firm tofu cheese, Regular Emmental
• Instead of Preserved truffle slices (in Madeira): Truffle oil (¼ tsp), Finely diced shiitake mushrooms
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Plant‑based butter
• Instead of Olive oil: Grapeseed oil
• Instead of Fresh parsley, chopped: Chives
• Instead of Madeira wine: Dry sherry

Equipment Needed

• Sous‑vide immersion circulator
• Vacuum‑seal or zip‑lock freezer bags
• Oven
• Baking tray
• Saucepan (medium)
• Whisk
• Chef’s knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Tongs

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Peeling the celery without damaging its shape
• Sealing the bag correctly for sous‑vide so no water enters
• Maintaining the precise sous‑vide temperature (95‑98°C)
• Layering cheese and truffle evenly to act as a binder
• Emulsifying the sauce with butter without breaking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Rub the peeled celery with lemon right after peeling; this also adds a subtle citrus note to the final dish.
• If you cannot find preserved truffle, a few drops of high‑quality truffle oil added to the sauce give a comparable aroma.
• For extra crunch, toast a handful of sliced almonds and sprinkle over the plated dish.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a low oven (120°C) to avoid over‑cooking the cheese.

Freezer: Not recommended; the texture of celery changes after freezing.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 1 hour due to dairy content.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Sous‑vide the celery hearts up to 24 hours in advance; keep them submerged in their cooking liquid and refrigerate.
• Sauce can be prepared ahead and reheated gently; add a splash of water if it thickens too much.