Butternut Gratin with Walnuts
This butternut gratin, made with leeks, bacon, chestnuts, cream, Gruyère cheese and walnuts, is a simple French side or main dish - and makes an excellent Thanksgiving casserole.
Equipment
- non-stick frying pan with lid
- Dutch oven or gratin dish (23x33cm / 9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 500 g (18oz / 3½ cups) butternut squash (weight with seeds removed), cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 leeks sliced
- 100 g (4 oz) smoked bacon
- 150 g (5½ oz / ¾ cup) pre-cooked chestnuts I use vacuum-packed but in jars or tins are good too *
- 150 g (5½ oz/ ¾ cup) heavy cream or full fat crème fraîche
- 175 g (6oz/ 2 cups ) Gruyère cheese or Comté, grated
- 50 g (2oz/ 3 tbsp) walnuts
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage or parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan/Gas 6).Prick the butternut squash's skin and roast it whole in the oven for 20 minutes directly in the gratin dish or Dutch oven until the skin starts blistering. Remove and leave to cool slightly. Alternatively, prick the skin and put on high in the microwave for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and gently sauté the sliced leeks, bacon and sage for 2 minutes on medium heat, then reduce to low and cover for about 10 minutes until softened. Set aside.
- When the squash is cooler and easier to handle, cut off the skin and cut in 2 using a good knife. Remove the seeds with a spoon and cut the softened squash into small chunks.
- In the gratin dish, throw in the slightly softened squash chunks, the leeks and bacon mixture and chestnuts. Stir in the cream or crème fraîche, nutmeg, plus salt and pepper to taste. Top with the cheese, walnuts and more sage.
- Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden and forms a slight crust. If you prefer yours without the crispiness, then bake for slightly less.
Notes
Serve immediately with a crusty French baguette and a chilled white such as a Riesling from Alsace. If you can't find chestnuts, replace with fresh mushrooms that have been dry fried separately until they lose their juices (to concentrate their flavour).
Best Cheeses: choose ones that melt easily and are more mature like Comté or mix half of Gruyère and parmesan cheese or a sharp cheddar.
Squash or Pumpkin: this dish is also great with red kuri squash. Just prepare as above but you can eat the skin.
Vegetarian dish: simply leave out the bacon and add fried mushrooms.
Side Dish: If serving as 6 smaller portions, it's roughly 440 kcal each.
Nutrition
Calories: 660kcal
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