I’m not a vegetarian, but I make it a point to go meatless at least one night a week. It’s a great way to force yourself out of that confining protein-starch-veggie template that lords over the dinner menu and probably has us eating more than our fair share of meat. It also guarantees you enjoy new flavor combinations—vegetarian cooking so often relies on fresh herbs and aromatic vegetables to impart that umami punch.
One of my favorite veg-centric dishes is a savory vegetable gratin—a layered “veggie bake” that’s also referred to as a “tian.” While it’s packed with healthy fresh vegetables, it’s got a gooey layer of melted Gruyère on top, and a layer of tender potatoes and onions on the bottom, both of which give it main course heft. Yum.
There are lots of versions of this traditional Provençal dish, but few hard and fast rules. Use whatever vegetables move you. The bottom line is to cut them in a way that helps them all cook through within the same amount of time. This pretty and delicious dish goes great with a green salad, a bowl of hardy soup and fresh baguette with some indulgent rosemary butter.
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Vegetable gratin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions (cut in half, then sliced thin crosswise)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large, or two medium, Yukon Gold potatoes (sliced ¼-inch thick)
1 sweet potato (sliced ¼-inch thick)
2 zucchini (sliced ¼-inch thick)
2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
3 medium tomatoes (sliced into ¼-inch rounds)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil to medium-high and add the onions. Sauté for about five minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for one minute more. Remove the skillet from the heat.
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Spray a 9-by-12-by-2 pan with cooking spray. In the bottom of the pan, add the sautéed onions and garlic and distribute evenly. Next, layer the vegetables beginning with Yukon Gold potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and then the tomatoes, seasoning each layer with a little salt and pepper.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle rosemary over the tomatoes, cover with grated cheese and bake for another 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the gratin into squares and serve.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.