Ever hear of a burn notice? It's spy-slang for pink slip. Only worse. Much worse. A burned spy not only loses his job, but loses his identity as well. His home. His bank account. His self as he knows it. Makes it tough to find a new job. Make friends. Heck, even go shopping (credit cards are kaput). So, what's former spy to do? Hang with an old spy buddy. An ex-girlfriend. Visit mom. Find new digs in an abandoned warehouse. Eat yogurt. Lots of yogurt. Well, at least that's what the burned spy in the aptly named Burn Notice does. Why am I mentioning this in a post that's about a summer gratin? Well, because that's what I was watching when I was making said gratin! See, I never cook alone. I've always got some company. Sometimes it's the ex-spy and his pals. Sometimes it's the dissociative disordered mom in United States of Tara. (The question is who will the cooking buddy be today? Tara, the mom? T, the teenager? Alice, the clawingly annoying do-gooder? Or Buck, the bristly Vietnam vet? Or is it going to be the newly-emerging poncho-wearing peeing persona? That's right. I said poncho. Thought I was going to comment on the other part, huh? Nope. Too nasty for this blog.) Lately though it's been the Good Wife (slandered wife-come-junior associate attorney). Hey, that reminds me. Ever hear about pitting evidence? That's police-speak for..... Oh, never mind. Let's talk gratin instead.
Gratin is a widely used culinary technique in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg and/or butter. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)
OK. Sounds easy enough. Let's give it a go.
OK. Sounds easy enough. Let's give it a go.
First, prep the summer bounty......
Mix together and get ready to dish it...
If you were heading for the pantry for the box of brown dust that claims to be crumbs of bread, stop. That won't do. This is a gratin. It's French. They'd be appalled if they saw this. Just make the fresh breadcrumbs. It's easy. Chop up a couple of fresh-ish buns in the food processor. Done. No need to hang your head in shame anymore.
Now it is officially crowned a gratin....
A small bow, and into the oven it goes.
Enjoy!
Indian Summer Gratin with Butternut Squash,
Potatoes, Corn, and Bacon (adapted from Fine Cooking)
Ingredients
1 Tbs. plus 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter
4 slices bacon
1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
1 large or 2 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1-3/4 to 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 large ears)
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
12 oz. peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2-1/2 cups)
8 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1-1/2 cups)
4 slices bacon
1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
1 large or 2 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1-3/4 to 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 large ears)
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
12 oz. peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2-1/2 cups)
8 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1-1/2 cups)
Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 2-quart shallow gratin dish with 1/2 tsp. of the butter.
2. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon to paper towels. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the fat in the skillet; discard the remainder. When the bacon is cool, crumble it.
3. In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. of the crumbled bacon with the breadcrumbs, 2 Tbs. of the Parmigiano, the olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, and a large pinch of salt. Mix well.
4. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter to the skillet with the bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and just starting to turn golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir well. Add the corn, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn has lost its raw look and is slightly shrunken, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool slightly. (Note: I boiled the corn first.)
5. Combine the cream and chicken broth in a 2-cup liquid measure. Add the lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to mix well.
6. In a large bowl, combine the remaining bacon, the corn-leek mixture, the diced squash, potatoes, and remaining 1 tsp. thyme. Toss lightly to combine. Spread the mixture evenly in the gratin dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano on top. Stir the cream mixture one more time and pour it over everything as evenly as possible. Press down on the vegetables with a spatula so that the liquid surrounds them and everything is evenly distributed. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over all.
7. Cover with foil and bake for at least 40 minutes (the recipe originally said 20 minutes - don't believe them). Remove the foil and continue to bake until the crumb topping is deeply golden and the squash and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. The liquid should have bubbled below the surface of the vegetables, leaving browned bits around the edge of the pan. Let cool for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
2. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon to paper towels. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the fat in the skillet; discard the remainder. When the bacon is cool, crumble it.
3. In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. of the crumbled bacon with the breadcrumbs, 2 Tbs. of the Parmigiano, the olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, and a large pinch of salt. Mix well.
4. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter to the skillet with the bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and just starting to turn golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir well. Add the corn, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn has lost its raw look and is slightly shrunken, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool slightly. (Note: I boiled the corn first.)
5. Combine the cream and chicken broth in a 2-cup liquid measure. Add the lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to mix well.
6. In a large bowl, combine the remaining bacon, the corn-leek mixture, the diced squash, potatoes, and remaining 1 tsp. thyme. Toss lightly to combine. Spread the mixture evenly in the gratin dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano on top. Stir the cream mixture one more time and pour it over everything as evenly as possible. Press down on the vegetables with a spatula so that the liquid surrounds them and everything is evenly distributed. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over all.
7. Cover with foil and bake for at least 40 minutes (the recipe originally said 20 minutes - don't believe them). Remove the foil and continue to bake until the crumb topping is deeply golden and the squash and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. The liquid should have bubbled below the surface of the vegetables, leaving browned bits around the edge of the pan. Let cool for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
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