Root Vegetable Gratin
Since I only go to the grocery store every two weeks or so, I stock up big-time on root vegetables. (You know those gigantic bags of russet potatoes available at most grocery stores? I'm the person who buys them, even in the summer). But it doesn't mean our meals have to be steak-and-potatoes plan, or overly starchy. Take this root vegetable gratin as an example: made with russets, sweet potatoes, turnips, parsnips, and yellow beets, it's a rainbow of vebetables that you peel, slice, stack, and bake into a gorgeous gratin that makes a bold statement on the table but isn't super heavy. It also stays hot for a long time and reheats easily, so it's one of my go-tos when I need to make something ahead and I'm not sure when we'll be having dinner.
Adjust the ratio of vegetables however you want - you can also add others, like carrots, rutabega, or celeriac, as long as the total weight is about 4 pounds and the slices all have roughly the same diameter. If you'd like, bake this ahead and let it cool to room temperature, then place the dish on the cooler side of a grill to reheat while you cook the rest of your meal.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, ends trimmed, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick discs
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, ends trimmed, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick discs
• 1/2 pound turnips, ends trimmed, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick discs
• 1/2 pound parsnips, ends trimmed, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick discs
• 1/2 pound yellow beets, ends trimmed, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick discs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 heaping cup (about 5 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 small sage leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-by-11-inch oval gratin dish (or similar) with the butter and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, toss together all of the potatoes, turnips, parsnips, beets, heavy cream, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan however you see fit - it’s lovely to stack the vegetables vertically into the dish a handful at a time, then arrange the stacks in rows or in a spiral. Continue until all the vegetables have been added to the dish, stuffing little pieces in here and there where you can toward the end; it will seem like too many vegetables for the pan, but they will soften and cook down in the oven. Pour any excess cream and herbs over the vegetables and top with the sage leaves. (You can make the gratin up to this point and refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 day. If you do that, add 10 minutes to the first 30-minute baking period).
Cover the dish with aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 more minutes. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and bake for a final 30 minutes, or until the tops of the vegetables are beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted into a stack comes out with no resistance.
Let the gratin cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
For more recipes like this one, check out my Five Marys Family Style Cookbook!