Braised Celery With Brown Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons fat (or butter)
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 ½ cups stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bouillon cube (optional, for stock)

Method

1. 1 Scrape and clean the celery, cut into 1-inch pieces, and parboil gently for 15 minutes. Drain well.
2. 2 Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add the parboiled celery, cover closely, and cook until tender, shaking occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. 3 In a separate pan, melt 2 tablespoons of fat and whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour to make a roux. Brown well.
4. 4 Gradually whisk in 1 ½ cups of stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Strain if desired, then season.
5. 5 Season the braised celery with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the prepared brown sauce.