“As we passed the autumn equinox and approach cooler weather most people are quick to jump on fall food bandwagon. Replacing peaches with apples, tomatoes with pumpkin and potatoes with sweet potatoes. We are also anticipating the cooler weather and the delicious recipes that come with it; however we are not ready to let go of the abundant produce that summer provides.
A rich zucchini and summer squash gratin (think the cheesy, thinly sliced potato casserole you grandmother used to make) is the perfect combination of an autumn dish with late summer ingredients. We lightened it up a touch by removing the heavy roux and the sometimes too-heavy white cheddar. We are not without cheese in this dish as we added a generous amount of earthy goat cheese and topped it with some sharp parmesan. This side dish will serve enough for four.
A quick note on the amount of cream in the dish: to some it may seem like it is not enough but you have to consider the amount of water that is inherent in summer squashes. Trust us, it’s a lot. When the gratin cooks, liquid will be extracted from the squash to help with the consistency of the dish.” – Joe
Ingredients
- 2 summer squash – cut in half and sliced into half circles
- 1 zucchini – cut in half and sliced into half circles
- 0.5 yellow onion – julienned
- 0.25 cup parsley – finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic – minced
- 1 small shallot – minced
- 0.5 lemon – juiced
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 0.5 cup grated parmesan
Directions
- Place a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat on the stove top. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, shallots, and garlic to the pan in that order.
- Gently cook the shallots and garlic until soft and translucent, or for about two minutes.
- Add the cream, goat cheese, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the cream mixture up to a boil and whisk until the goat cheese is fully dispersed.
- Add the cream mixture to the sliced vegetables (in a large bowl) and season with salt and pepper, mix.
- Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle the parmesan over the top of the squash then place the gratin in a preheated oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cook for thirty minutes, then switch the oven over to broil and brown the top of the gratin until golden
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.