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Season’s gratins


The holidays are a busy time for Fery's Catering, which serves up a variety of au gratin potato dishes for its clients. 
 (Jed Conklin / The Spokesman-Review)

Is there anyone who doesn’t scrape around the edges of the gratin pan trying to get that last bit of golden, crunchy topping that gives the dish its comforts of home feeling?

“Indeed, it is the crust that makes a gratin,” writes Tina Salter, the author of “Gratins: Savory and Sweet Recipes from Oven to Table.”

The mere definition of gratin focuses on the topping, which is often made with cheese or a mixture of bread crumbs and butter. Sometimes, just a creamy sauce is allowed to caramelize in the oven or under the broiler to create the blanket of crispness.

But the real beauty of a gratin is how it greets almost any add-in with open arms. Got leftover vegetables? Toss ‘em in a gratin and make them special again. Not enough ham left to feed the whole family? Mix it with potatoes and bake au gratin-style for a satisfying home-cooked meal.

“You can even make it with turkey,” says Fery Haghighi of Fery’s Catering. Haghighi said she makes a lot of au gratin potato dishes for catering clients around the holidays.

She makes two variations of potatoes au gratin. One follows the classic Gratin Dauphinoise-style, mixing potatoes, cream or milk and “a tiny bit of garlic, white pepper and salt.”

Instead of baking it in the oven, however, she makes hers on the stovetop in a double-boiler. “It’s fabulous,” she said.

Her other approach takes a basic béchamel – or white – sauce and mixes it with cheese. “I use a lot of Provolone or Gruyere,” Haghighi said. “But use whatever you like. Cheddar is good. Cheese is cheese.”

She said she combines the ingredients “like a lasagna” and covers the dish with Parmesan cheese then bakes it in an oven at 350 degrees for about an hour. If it gets too golden, cover with foil and finish cooking. Or, she said, cover it with foil at the beginning and remove the foil halfway through cooking to let the top get golden and crunchy.

While potatoes are probably the most common ingredient used in gratins, they’re not the only one. Substitute root vegetables in a classic potato au gratin dish. Or try a gratin based in pastas, meats, vegetables or even fruits.

Though special gratin pans deliver ideal cooking conditions – a wide, shallow dish that can go from stove to oven to broiler – other baking dishes can be used in a pinch. Just make sure they are no more than 2 inches deep, and if they are not able to go under the broiler or on the stovetop, increase baking time.

Potatoes Dauphinoise

From “The Way to Cook”

2 to 2 ½ pounds boiling potatoes (6 to 7 cups sliced)

1 ½ cups milk, divided

1 large clove garlic, pureed

¼ teaspoon salt

A few grinds of freshly ground white pepper

2 or more tablespoons butter, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut into slices 1/8-inch thick. Drop the slices, as you do them, into a bowl of cold water. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of milk to a boil in the gratin dish (or a small saucepan if your dish is not safe on the direct heat of a burner; pour into the baking dish after adding the potatoes), add the pureed garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Drain the potatoes, spread them in the dish, adding a little more milk, if needed, to come three quarters of the way up the potatoes. Top with the optional butter, cut into bits.

Bring again to a simmer, correct the seasonings, if needed, and set the dish in the upper third level of the preheated oven until nicely browned and the milk has been almost entirely absorbed – about 25 minutes; 10 minute or so more if your dish is not flameproof.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 214 calories, 5.2 grams fat (3.1 grams saturated, 22 percent fat calories), 6 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrate, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 178 milligrams sodium.

Gratin of Penne, Turkey and Mushrooms

From Epicurious.com/Originally published Bon Appetit, November 2004

Because Gruyere is somewhat salty, use unbrined roast turkey in this dish. Also, an old-fashioned turkey gravy (no cider or soy sauce) will enhance this gratin best.

12 ounces penne

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sliced shallots (about 5)

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 ½ cups turkey gravy

1 ½ cups packed coarsely grated Gruyere cheese, divided

½ cup whipping cream

3 cups diced cooked turkey meat

Position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme; sauté until mushrooms are tender and dark brown, about 12 minutes. Add pasta, gravy, 1 cup cheese and cream to mushroom mixture; stir to blend. Mix in turkey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese. Bake grain until sauce is bubbling around edges and tips of pasta are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving (based on 8 servings): 454 calories, 20 grams fat (10 grams saturated, 39 percent fat calories), 29 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrate, 91 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 370 milligrams sodium.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

From “The New Basics Cookbook”

1 head cauliflower (about 3 pounds), trimmed and cut into florets

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup crème fraîche

2 ounces chevre, crumbled ( 1/3 to ½ cup)

¼ cup snipped fresh chives

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 12-inch gratin or shallow baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add the cauliflower. Simmer until fork-tender, 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Melt the butter in small saucepan, and whisk in the flour. Stir until it forms a paste. Then gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth. Cook over low heat, stirring, until thick. Stir in the remaining ingredients and remove from the heat.

Arrange the cauliflower in the prepared dish, and pour the sauce over it. Bake until bubbling and golden, 40 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 221 calories, 18 grams fat (11.3 grams saturated, 73 percent fat calories), 6 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, 53 milligrams cholesterol, 2.4 grams dietary fiber, 148 milligrams sodium.

Sausage, White Bean and Chard Gratin

From “Gratins: Savory and Sweet from Oven to Table”

3 mild Italian sausages, casings removed

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade

½ to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 bunch white chard, stems and leaves kept separate, cut into ¼-inch sliced

1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons freshly grated Gruyere

Topping:

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup fresh bread crumbs

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch square gratin dish.

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook, breaking up the lumps with a spatula, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a small bowl.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the onions; cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh fennel, garlic, sage, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chard stems and cook for 1 minute. Add the chard leaves and stock and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat. Stir in the beans and sun-dried tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared gratin dish. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top.

To make the topping, in a small sauté pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the bread crumbs and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.

Sprinkle the topping over the gratin. Place on a sturdy baking sheet. Bake until deep, golden brown and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving (based on 6 servings): 357 calories, 16.5 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 42 percent fat calories), 17.5 grams protein, 34.4 grams carbohydrate, 32 milligrams cholesterol, 7.9 grams dietary fiber, 1,133 milligrams sodium.

Pear-Pecan Pound Cake Gratin

From “Gratins: Savory and Sweet from Oven to Table”

1 ½ pounds ripe pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ -inch dice

Juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons instant tapioca

Topping:

¼ pound pound cake, cut into ½ -inch cubes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup chocolate chips

4 teaspoons Demerara or washed raw cane sugar

Whipped cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter four (8-ounce) ramekins; set aside.

To make the filling, in a medium bowl, combine the pears, lemon juice and tapioca; toss gently to mix. Divide the pears evenly among the prepared dishes.

To make the topping, in a medium bowl, drizzle the pound cake with the melted butter; toss gently to coat. Add the pecans and chocolate chips; toss gently to mix. Divide the topping among the dishes, pressing down just a bit to fit it into the dish. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the sugar over each gratin.

Place the ramekins on a sturdy baking sheet. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve dolloped with whipped cream.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 483 calories, 27 grams fat (9 grams saturated, 50 percent fat calories), 4.6 grams protein, 63.5 grams carbohydrate, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 6.8 grams dietary fiber, 119 milligrams sodium.