Root Vegetable Gratin

This deliciously creamy, hearty gratin was the hit of our dinner party. A dish like this is simple in terms of preparation and ingredients, but is so impressive in terms of uniqueness and taste. At first, I was surprised that the recipe didn’t call for a fresh herb (like thyme), but it really didn’t need one. The combination of root vegetables in this recipe was brilliant—my dinner guests kept asking, “What’s the darker yellow vegetable in here?” referring to the rutabaga. We served the gratin alongside a currant-glazed pork loin. The only suggestion I have is to add 1 1/2 cups of milk instead of the 1 cup that the recipe calls for, as I felt that a bit more liquid was needed to cover the vegetables before going into oven. This way, you can rest assured that each slice of vegetable will be tender, and deliciously creamy. I wanted to comment as well on the use of sea salt in the recipe—what a great choice! This recipe will be a go-to for many meals to come, I’m sure of it.

This is a dish that pleases meat-and-potatoes guys and well-rounded foodies alike. It’s delicious, simple, and substantial. I found the best way to get thin, consistent slices of veggies is to use a mandoline, which cuts down on prep time. I used 11 ounces of parsnips, choosing them because I always see them grocery stores, and they’re usually pretty inexpensive. TIPS: I suggest cooking the gratin for about 55 minutes, which is plenty of time for the cheese brown and bubble, and to soften the vegetables. Also, use white pepper for seasoning, because you don’t want to blemish the cream sauce. If you have it, this dish is amazing with just a pinch of grey sea salt right before serving.

This is an excellent dish for a winter dinner. It’s also very easy to make. I used cheddar cheese and sour cream instead of crème fraîche, and I didn’t warm it—just mixed all of the liquids together. I used the suggested roots, which are very tasty during winter, but also added white carrots to replace half of the potatoes. The baking time was about 75 minutes. I’ll try this recipe next time with different vegetables and cheese, and with additional salt and black pepper.

This Root Vegetable Gratin was a hit in our household! I don’t cook with turnips and rutabaga very often (and when I do, not very successfully), so this recipe is a keeper. I actually doubled it because I didn’t know what to do with the leftover half of rutabaga. I sliced everything on the mandoline so that everything would cook evenly, then divided the gratin into two casserole dishes—but I removed one of the dishes from the oven after an hour to freeze it for later. The original gratin did require the 1 1/2 hour cook time, and each of the vegetables retained their unique character. The amount of sauce didn’t overwhelm the vegetables, so the dish wasn’t as heavy as it could’ve been.

I made this last night for a group of friends coming over to watch some football. It was a winner. Everyone was raving about it, but better yet, my picky tween daughter also liked it! It was a surprise to taste the different root vegetables in every bite—there was something sweet, then a tad of crispness mixed with a touch of bitterness, the latter most likely from the turnips. Next time, what about adding blue cheese instead of Gruyère? Also for those who have no patience for slicing, use a mandoline or a food processor.