After four days of being stuck in the house with snow, fresh produce starts to become a little scarce. I am so glad I keep a good stash of squash, potatoes and onions around in the winter months. They can last a couple weeks when stored correctly. I also keep a well-stocked cheese drawer for when inspiration hits.
Anyway, the fresh and more perishable veggies were all gone yesterday. The fruit has disappeared too. Sure I have enough food around to feed us for a very long time, but it’s the fresh stuff I always seem to crave.
I decided to make this gratin to serve alongside some grilled steaks yesterday evening. It really is a hearty dish, packed with flavor. What really made the taste stand out was the mixture of crushed sage leaves and ground mace I used for the spices. And let’s not forget the melty Gruyere cheese. Those three things were perfect for this dish…don’t substitute them out!
The onions are sauteed in butter and sage until softened.
The butternut is cooked in broth and cream and the mace is added.
Your family will love this dish. It’s time to change it up anyway, we’ve all had plenty of mashed potatoes this winter.
Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 pound butternut squash, peeled & cubed 1/2"
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed 1/2"
- 4 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 1-1/4 cups diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons dried crushed sages leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground mace
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- heaping 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
- Place cubed squash and potato into a microwave safe bowl with 1 cup of water. Cover and microwave for five minutes. Let sit, covered until you are ready to use.
- While squash mixture is in microwave, melt 3 Tablespoons butter over medium heat in an oven proof skillet. Saute onions with sage until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Drain and add the squash to the skillet along with the mace, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the broth is absorbed. Stir in heavy cream, cooking three more minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Melt remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter and mix it with the panko, Parmesan and parsley. Season this slightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the squash and potatoes mixture and top with Gruyere.
- Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
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