A Great Time for Gratins

Complimentary to the cooler temperatures, gratins are often best made with ingredients currently found fresh at your local farmers' market. Further offset an evening chill with roast poultry or meat, the gratin's perfect partner. Red wine, of course, is essential.

GRATIN DE NAVETS

Amazingly good when eaten with roast duck, a combination sometimes served at Cafe Drake for Christmas Dinner.

2 lb. peeled turnips, cut into thin slices / 3 T. butter / slices of day old bread (should be dry) / salt and pepper / 1/2 cup (roughly) freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Boil sliced turnips in salted water for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Butter a casserole dish and, beginning with thin slices of bread, layer alternately: bread, turnips, salt and pepper and cheese.
4. Layer until casserole is full and dot the top layer (should be cheese) with the butter, cubed.
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden on top.

SPINACH GRATIN

Simple and light, this unusual dairy-free gartin is very nice with roast pork.

1 1/2 lbs. chopped and well-rinsed spinach leaves / salt and pepper / dried breadcrumbs / 3 T. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Smear a casserole dish with a generous bit of olive oil.
2. In a mixing bowl, toss the spinach with salt and pepper. Pack into the casserole.
3. Sprinkle a thin layer of breadcrumbs over all, and drizzle the olive oil over the top.
4. Place the dish in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for roughly 1 hour.

GRATIN DE CHOUFLEUR

Very different than the usual preparation of baked cauliflower with bechamel sauce, this version is lighter yet deeply flavorful, thanks to the oven roasting.

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets / 1/4 cup olive oil / salt and pepper / nutmeg / 1/2 cup grated Gruyere & Parmesan cheeses, mixed / breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Parboil cauliflower for 5 minutes in salted water. Drain well.
3. Place cauliflower in a casserole dish and toss with the oil, salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle with the cheese, breadcrumbs and nutmeg.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is browning nicely.