CELERY AU GRATIN. The food value of celery may be still further increased by combining it with cheese and bread crumbs in addition to a cream sauce. Such a dish, which is known as celery au gratin, is prepared according to the accompanying recipe.

• 4 c. diced celery
• 2-1/2 Tb. butter
• 2-1/2 Tb. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1 c. milk
• 1 c. water in which celery was cooked
• 1 c. buttered crumbs
• 1/2 c. grated cheese

Cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender and then drain. Prepare the cream sauce in the usual manner. Butter the crumbs by stirring them into 1 tablespoonful of melted butter. Put 1/4 cupful of the crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish and put one-half of the celery over them. Place another 1/4 cupful of the crumbs over the celery, and on top of this sprinkle 1/4 cupful of the grated cheese. Add the remainder of the celery and pour the sauce over this. Finally, add the other 1/4 cupful of cheese and the remainder of the crumbs. Place in a hot oven, and bake until well heated through and the crumbs are browned. Serve hot.

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