Expand the List of Root Vegetables You Keep On Hand
Learn to Cook with Root Vegetables in a Gratin Recipe
I love a good gratin recipe. I’ve had some stomach issues in the past few years and I’ve turned to a more plant based diet. The only root vegetable I had regularly in my diet before was the potato. I’ve decided it was time to experiment with other root veggies, and learn just how delicious they are.
Not only am I learning how to cook the root vegetables in various recipes, I’m also learning how to grow them myself, and since I hate wasting food I have to find delicious and engaging recipes to keep my taste buds alive. One of the diets I had to do to reset my stomach was rather devoid of flavor, I’ve missed flavor, so I’ve been paying particular attention on the enjoyment of eating what I cook.
What I like about this recipe is that you can throw in a bunch of different root veggies, or just focus on one. And cheese. I love cheese. But besides the different ways you can eat a potato, what do you do with yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, yuca, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, celery root (or celeriac), horseradish, daikon, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and ginger?
Finding ways to cook with turmeric and ginger also have the addition of health benefits. Both ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory benefits for the human body. If you know you have inflammation within your body, it might be something you want to check out.
Root Vegetable Gratin
Ingredients
- Butter for the baking dish
- 3 small turnips peeled halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1/2 about 11 oz celeriac peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1/2 1 lb rutabaga peeled halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes peeled halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1 scant cup heavy cream
- 6 T crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1 c whole milk
- 1 1/2 c grated Gruyère or medium cheddar
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper preferably white
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oen to 400° F.
- Butter 12 x 8 in baking dish.Butter for the baking dish
- Toss all root vegetables in large bowl to combine.3 small turnips peeled, 1/2 about 11 oz celeriac peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced, 1/2 1 lb rutabaga peeled, 1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes peeled
Cream Mixture
- In small saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, crème fraîche, or sour cream, and milk. Heat until crème fraîche has melted into the cream.1 scant cup heavy cream, 6 T crème fraîche or sour cream, 1 c whole milk
- Remove from heat. Season with salt & pepper. Stir well.Sea salt and freshly ground pepper preferably white
Combine
- Using a baking dish, place half of the root vegetables around the bottom.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and ⅓ of the cheese.1 1/2 c grated Gruyère or medium cheddar
- Pour ⅓ of the cream mixture over the cheese.
- Place remaining root vegetables on top along with the remaining cheese.
- Pour remaining cream mixture over the cheese.
Bake
- Bake for 1 – 1.5 hrs. Top should be browned.
- Serve immediately.
