Crookneck Squash and Rice Gratin

I realize that crookneck squash is a summer vegetable, but I decided to go ahead and make this when I saw nice little yellow and green squash in my supermarket. I know they are from Mexico (which is not ideal). Oh well. This dish also features marjoram or thyme, summer herbs according to Deborah, but I consider thyme to be a year round herb, so that's what I used.

I used the ingredients that I had handy, so I almost feel like I didn't make Deborah's recipe. It was really delicious anyway. Here are all my modifications. I used onion instead of leeks - I just could not find leeks at the store today. I used brown rice instead of long grain white rice. I used a mishmash of different kinds of cheese I needed to use up, including mozzarella, cheddar, swiss, and a tiny bit of smoked fontina. The recipe called for gruyere. I also put the dusting of herbs on top before cooking instead of after. These modifications were all delicious and I would make it this way again, but I'm looking forward to trying it Deborah's way at some point.

Let's Get Started

First put on 1/2 a cup of rice to cook. (Bring one cup water to a boil, add a little salt, add the rice, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or so.) She uses long grain white rice, which makes sense with the summery veggies. I used organic brown rice which gave the gratin a more chewy texture.

Butter a 2-quart gratin dish or 4 individual gratin dishes. Preheat oven to 350º.

Chop up a big handful of parsley leaves, several big marjoram or thyme sprigs, and 2 garlic cloves. You can chop this all together into a garlic-herb mixture. I had about a half cup total.

Wash and thinly slice 2 pounds crookneck squash or zucchini. Slice into thin rounds and set aside. (In the winter time you can use grated butternut squash and sage instead of thyme or marjoram.) Grate 1/2 cup of gruyere cheese, or whatever you've got. Set aside.

Quarter 2 large leeks lengthwise, white part and a little of the green. Rough chop and wash the leeks. Heat 2 t. olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add the leeks. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add a splash of water or dry white wine to keep them from browning or burning. (I used tonic water 'cause that's what I had in my fridge. It made the onions a little sweeter, which was nice.) Season with a few big pinches of the herbs, 1/2 t. salt, and pepper to taste. Scrape into a bowl and return the pan to the stove.

Raise the heat and add 1 T. olive oil. Add the squash to the skillet and saute until golden in places, 4 minutes or so. Add about 1 T. of the herbs and continue to saute until fairly tender and a little more colored, two minutes or so.

Turn off the heat. Return the leeks to the pan, along with the rice and cheese. Toss well, taste for salt and season with pepper.

Set aside 2 T. of the herb mixture and add the rest to the vegetables. Transfer the mixture to the gratin dish(es), drizzle a little oil over the top and bake until hot throughout, about 25 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and brown the top.

When they come out of the oven, top with reserved herbs and a little lemon zest. Serve hot or warm.

Fresh tomato would be a nice accompaniment in summer, or braised greens in winter. I think the brown rice would be perfect for the more wintery version.

Things I'd Do Differently Next Time

I'd like to try this with white rice, leeks, and gruyere. I'd also like to try this marjoram, an herb I really love. The winter version with butternut squash and sage sounds great, too.

Cost to Prepare

1/2 cup rice - mine came from the farm, but I think maybe $.25 for regular white rice

big handful of parsley - from the garden, but maybe $.75 from the store

several big marjoram or thyme sprigs - garden again, but maybe $.50

2 garlic cloves - $.25

olive oil, salt, pepper - negligible

2 large leeks - $2.00

2 pound crookneck squash or zucchini - about $4.00 in winter. In summer, it's free from your neighbor

1/2 cup gruyere - $2.00

1 t. grated lemon zest - from the yard, or $.50

TOTAL for 4 people - $10.25 if you buy everything from the store. I think it cost me about $4.00 for the squash and everything else I had on hand in the garden or the pantry.

I will definitely make this again. It was very flavorful and delicious

Cabbage and leeks

We just got both cabbage and leeks in our CSA box, so I made "Cabbage and Leek Gratin" yet again. I never get tired of it. The mustard cream that you put on top is delicious. I swear, this time I had everything ready to go before the water boiled. You do have to cook it in the oven for 45 minutes, but that gave me time to clean the kitchen and practice piano while it was cooking. Here are the directions, in case you missed it the first time.

http://vegsuppers.blogspot.com/2010/02/cabbage-leek-gratin-with-mustard-cream.html

Asparagus & Leeks on toast

We just finished our asparagus and leeks on toast dinner. It was simple, tasty, and easy to make. We will definitely have this one again. It's a great recipe for spring because asparagus is just coming into season and new skinny leaks will be available for the next few months.

Let's Get Started

• You begin by soaking the top 5 inches or so of your asparagus in water for a few minutes. I used about a pound for the two of us. Soaking loosens any dirt that may be in the tips and gills of the stalk. Rinse and set aside.
• Slice 2 skinny leeks into rounds and rinse well in water to get out any dirt. The rings will come apart and this is fine.
• Rinse a couple big handfuls of small spinach leaves. If you're using pre-washed, then just set it aside to use later. If you're using regular bunches of spinach, cut off the stems, rinse well and then soak in water for several minutes, then rinse again. It's really hard to get spinach all the way clean and nothing ruins a dish like having dirt in it.
• Chop one garlic clove. The recipe calls for 2 heads green garlic, which is much milder than regular garlic. One clove worked out great for us. Use more if you like.
• Melt 1 T. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and garlic and stir to coat them with the butter. Let them cook for a minute or two. Add 1/2 cup white wine or water. I didn't have any white wine open, so I used water. Cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add the asparagus and another 1/2 cup water. Simmer for about 8 minutes until the asparagus is tender. You should end up with about 1/3 cup of liquid still in the pan.
• While that is cooking, toast 2 thick slices of good, rustic bread. We used sourdough from Nightingale Bakery. (SOOO good!) When the toast comes out of the toaster (or oven), cover it with thin slices of Italian fontina cheese or Gruyere.
• Add the couple handfuls of spinach and another tablespoon of butter. Stir until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Add the juice from half a lemon. Taste for salt and pepper.
• Put one slice of toast with the cheese on each plate. Cut the toast in half. Cover with the vegetables and their juices.

Things I'd Do Differently Next Time

I only used the tips of the asparagus and saved the stems for another dish. I think next time I would cut the asparagus into smaller, bite-sized pieces and include the whole stalk of the asparagus (except the tough lower part, of course). I will definitely try this with white wine next time, although it was really terrific with just water. If I ever find green garlic at the farmers market or get some from my CSA, I will try it in this dish. I'm not really familiar with using green garlic, so this would be a great opportunity to try it.

Cost to Prepare

1 lb. asparagus - $3.00

2 leeks - $3.00 (1 pound)

1/4 pound baby spinach - $1.25

4 thin slices gruyere - $1.00

2 slices really good bread - $.75

2 T. butter (organic) - $.20

1/2 lemon - free from my tree outside

1 clove garlic, salt, pepper - negligible

TOTAL for 2 people - $9.20

This was just about the right amount for 2 people, but we were really full. You could make this as a side dish if you were eating some other protein source and it could easily feed 4 people.

Cabbage & Leek Gratin with Mustard Cream

February 20, 2010

Although it appears I haven't been cooking from the "Vegetarian Suppers" cookbook, I actually have been, I'm just behind in my blogging.

This evening I made a recipe that I would never choose if it was on the menu at a restaurant, but after having made it, I am absolutely in love with this dish. It is wonderfully delicious, and easy to make. The prep time for the gratin was only about 20 minutes, plus about another 10 minutes for the mustard cream. You have to save some time for cooking in the oven, however. This would be a fantastic dish to take to a potluck, with a little sign for the mustard cream.

This dish begins by buttering a gratin dish, starting the oven (at 350), and putting a big pot of water on to boil. Then you cut up 1 1/2 pounds of cabbage. I used Napa cabbage (and Deborah recommended using savoy cabbage) which made the gratin turn out juicy and tender. I don't think regular cabbage would taste as good, but it might. You also cut up 3 leeks, just the white part and a little of the green. When the water boils, put in some salt and the cabbage and leeks for 5 minutes. Drain it in a colander and gently press out as much water as you can.

While the veggies are boiling, combine 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup sour cream, 3 eggs, 1/3 cup flour, and 3 T. dill. I used about twice that much fresh dill and it was super yummy. Put the veggies in with the egg mixture, season with salt, and pour into the gratin dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

For the mustard cream, finely dice a small shallot and put in 1 T. vinegar. The recipe calls for white wine, but I used sherry vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and let it sit for 5 minutes while you measure out 2/3 c. sour cream, and 1 T. mustard (any kind you like). Whisk that in and then taste for balance. I added a smidge of horseradish to give it a little kick.

Speaking of mustard, I used homemade mustard given to me by my friend, Carla. It is a sweet and hot mustard which I absolutely adore. She is going to give me the recipe and if it's ok with her, I will post it here. I've been caught eating it with a spoon straight out of the jar. It is absolutely FABulous!

Things I would do differently next time: Nothing

Approximate cost to prepare:
Napa cabbage - $1.75
3 leeks - $6.00 (organic)
1 cup milk - $.40
1/3 c. sour cream (org.) - .50
3 eggs - $1.25 (I buy fresh eggs from my local farm for $5.00 per dozen.)
dill - $.65
2/3 c. sour cream (org.) - $1.00
1 sm. shallot - $.25
flour, mustard, vinegar - negligible
TOTAL - $11.80 for 6 servings (the recipe says only 4 servings, but I think it's more like 6)

I served this with an apple, pecan, and spring mix salad with poppy seed dressing. Deborah recommends home cooked cannellini beans or braised carrots to go with this. The recommended wine is a pinot blanc from Alsace. I have given up alcohol for lent, so I'll have to try that next time around.

Buon appetito!