Savory Squash Gratin Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a gratin baking dish with butter.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a large skillet over low heat; add onions and sage. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add squash, cover, and steam until tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Transfer squash to prepared gratin dish; toss with garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add the caramelized onions to the pan and gently mix to combine.
• Warm cream in a saucepan over low heat; pour over squash mixture. Stir to coat. Combine bread crumbs and 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter together in a bowl; sprinkle over squash mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until gratin is bubbling and breadcrumbs are browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

SAVORY SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place garlic in an ovenproof ramekin, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until light brown and very soft, about 20 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle; peel garlic and cut into slivers; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Peel squash, halve lengthwise, and seed. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside.
• Place kale in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and steam until bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and chop roughly. Squeeze out as much water as possible; set kale aside.
• Butter a 2 1/2-quart gratin dish. Distribute half the sliced squash in the dish, reserving the prettiest slices for the top layer. In a small bowl, combine nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Distribute half the sliced garlic over squash, and sprinkle with one-third of seasoning mixture and 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Arrange kale over squash, and sprinkle with one-third of the seasoning. Arrange remaining squash over kale, and sprinkle with remaining seasoning and 1 teaspoon thyme. Distribute remaining garlic over squash, tucking it between slices.
• Pour cream over assembled gratin, and cover with a piece of parchment. Bake until squash is soft when pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 45 minutes; halfway through the baking time, remove parchment, press down on squash with a spatula to compress and distribute the liquid; cover and continue baking. Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• After 35 to 45 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over squash; return to oven, and continue to bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Garnish with remaining thyme.
• To reheat: Do not add final layer of breadcrumb mixture. Remove from the refrigerator, and let come to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with parchment paper, and reheat in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. Top with breadcrumb mixture, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with thyme.

SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Peel 2 1/4 pounds of winter squash and cut into cubes.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• In a large ovenproof pot, brown 2 slices of bacon 1/8 inch thick for 5 minutes, turning them over. Add the cubes of squash, 4 garlic cloves (unpeeled but crushed), 1 sprig of rosemary, and a little salt.
• Cover with parchment paper and put in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350°F, remove the parchment paper, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, heat a dry skillet and toast a handful of dried pumpkin seeds. Cool on paper towels, then crush.
• When the squash is cooked, take the pot out of the oven and turn on the broiler.
• Throw away the rosemary and the peel of the garlic cloves.
• Remove the slices of bacon and cut into small lardons.
• Mash the squash and garlic with a fork and add the lardons. Stir and adjust the seasoning with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
• Sprinkle the top of the gratin with pumpkin seeds.
• With a vegetable peeler, shave 1 ounce of pecorino or Parmesan cheese into small flakes and sprinkle evenly over the gratin.
• Put under the broiler for about 2 minutes to brown the top. Serve immediately.

MERRITT'S BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until the onions soften and turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the butternut squash and brown sugar. Continue cooking and stirring until the butternut squash begins to brown on the edges, but is still somewhat firm in the center, about 10 minutes more. Scrape the squash into the prepared baking dish, and pour in the chicken broth. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the liquid has been absorbed and the squash is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Toss together the Gruyere cheese, Cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, thyme, and rosemary in a bowl until evenly combined. Remove the foil from the baking dish, and sprinkle the squash evenly with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Return to the oven, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more until the topping is lightly crunchy and brown.