The addition of pears enhances the celeriac’s sweet, aromatic quality. Serve with something hearty, such as slow-cooked shoulder of lamb or pork. Serves six as a side dish.

1 knob butter
About 400g floury potatoes
About 400g celeriac
2 firm, medium pears (about 300g)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400ml double cream
100ml whole milk
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 bay leaf
1 good grating nutmeg

Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3. Rub a gratin dish with the butter.

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, either with a sharp knife or a mandoline. Cut the outer layer off the celeriac and slice this thinly, too. Peel, quarter and core the pears, and slice each quarter thinly lengthwise. Combine the vegetables and pear in a bowl, season and toss. Arrange the mixture in the gratin dish, pressing it as flat as possible so there are not too many gaps and air pockets.

Put the cream and milk in a saucepan with the garlic halves, the bay leaf, the nutmeg and plenty of salt and pepper, and heat until just below boiling. Pour over the veg in the dish (take the bay leaf out at this stage, but keep the garlic in).

Bake for an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half. The gratin is ready when the top is golden and bubbling, and a small, sharp knife easily pierces the vegetables all the way through. You may want to turn up the heat to 190-200C (gas mark 5 or 6) for five minutes at the end for a bit of extra bubbling crispness. Leave to rest and cool for five minutes or so before serving.