Gratin de légumes

Veggie gratin

This is a versatile recipe that may be made with any number of vegetables. A combination I like is potatoes, carrots, sliced leek and baby spinach. You could add or substitute broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, butternut, pumpkin, parsnips and the list goes on.

Preparation is easy. The veggies are steamed, mixed with a cream sauce (Béchamel), transferred to a gratin dish, topped with grated cheese and baked for about half an hour. Helpful hint: the Bechamel will come together better if you do not use a non-stick pan.

The gratin may be served as the main dish of a simple meal, accompanied for example by a green salad, or as a side dish with meat, poultry, fish or another vegetarian dish.

The quantities below will serve 2-3 as a main dish and 3-4 as a side. Feel free to substitute the veggies of your choice, using similar quantities.

3 medium potatoes
2 large carrots
1 leek
1 large handful baby spinach
1 tbsp. (15 g) butter
1 tbsp. white flour
1 cup (25 cl) milk
2 tbsp. crème fraîche or sour cream
1 clove garlic
freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
freshly ground black pepper
2-1/2 ounces (70 grams) Comté, Gruyère or a similar cheese, or a bit more
1-2 tsp. olive oil

Peel and chop the potatoes into small chunks. Peel the carrots, cut in half lengthwise and chop into half-rounds. Rinse the leek, cut in half and slice the bottom half into rounds — you can reserve the top half for another use. Rinse the baby spinach.

Place the chopped potatoes and carrots in a steamer. Steam for 15 minutes. Add the leeks and spinach and steam for 5 minutes more.

Now make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. When it’s bubbly, turn down the heat and add the flour. Stir to blend. This is your roux — the base for the Béchamel. Cook for one minute but do not let it brown. Add the milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. When the sauce thickens, turn off the heat. Stir in the cream.

Peel and halve the garlic. Immerse in the sauce. Grate some nutmeg over the pot — but go easy as a little goes a long way. Add the salt and grind on some black pepper. Stir. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C, gas mark 6).

Grate the cheese, using the large holes of your grater.

Oil a medium-sized gratin dish or baking tin.

Remove the garlic halves from the sauce. Add the steamed veggies. Stir to blend. Transfer to the gratin dish. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

Serve piping hot. Serves 2-3 as a main dish, 3-4 as a side.