Golden Beet, Goat Cheese & Potato Gratin...

Recently I came across an old recipe that makes a great vegetarian meal or is an excellent side dish for a steak dinner. So, last week when I saw some golden beets at the farmer’s market I picked up a bunch. For me, golden beets have been a great ‘turn-to’ vegetable that can be sautéed or put into some type of casserole.

For this gratin, I wanted to keep it a bit rustic, so I didn't bother layering the vegetables in an ordered pattern. I put the potato and beets slices in the pan, all mixed up together. The only complicated part of this recipe is slicing the vegetables paper thin. But luckily I had my trusty mandoline to do that, but if you don't have one, you'll just need a bit more time and a very sharp knife.

There's not a lot of cheese or cream in this recipe ~ just a splash of milk to keep everything tender; that way the fresh taste of the vegetables are front and center. I sprinkled the gratin at the end with the parmesan cheese and baked until golden brown. It makes for a perfect dinner, even better. Enjoy!

Golden Beet, Goat Cheese & Potato Gratin

Ingredients:
4 medium golden beets
1 medium yellow onion
4 small to medium red potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
salt and pepper
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Chives, cut in strips for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Use a mandoline or chef's knife to slice the beets, onions and potatoes into very, very thin slices, about ⅛ -inch or less. Toss the sliced vegetables with the olive oil in a large bowl.

Pour a small drizzle of olive oil in a casserole dish (around 8 or 9 inches square) and spread it around the bottom and sides. Place ⅓ of the beets and potato slices in the bottom of the dish—no need to layer them beets-potato-beets-etc.—then season with salt and pepper. Top with half of the goat cheese, scattered evenly in large chunks.

Repeat with another ⅓ of the vegetables, seasoning again with salt and pepper and topping with the other ½ of the goat cheese. Finish by layering on the final ⅓ of the vegetables and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Pour the milk over the entire dish. Top with the parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes, until the top browns. Sprinkle the chive stripes over the top, if using.

Serves 6



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George's notes:

• You can serve the Gratin by either using a biscuit cutter or just a serving spoon, as demonstrated in my photo.
• Also, this Gratin taste terrific with a layer of thinly sliced fennel for that added twist of flavor.