Gratin de fanes de radis - Untested

https://www.marechal-fraicheur.fr/fr_FR/products/gratin-de-fanes-de-radis

Ce qu'il vous faut pour 2 personnes : 

250 ml de lait 

100 gr de lardons

100 g de fromage râpé (meule de savoie, emmental, comté, gruyere...)

1 oignon (petit)

1 botte de fanes de radis

½ c. à s. de farine (de châtaigne c'est très bon)

20 gr de beurre

Sel, poivre

1. Commencez par lavez les fanes de radis. Faites les cuire dans l'eau bouillante salée afin de les blanchir pendant environ 5 minutes. Elles doivent être tendres. 
2. Égouttez bien et réservez.
3. Hachez finement l'oignon et faites le revenir avec les lardons. Réservez.
4. Faites fondre le beurre dans une casserole, ajoutez la farine, le lait progressivement en fouettant, pour obtenir une béchamel.
5. Retirez du feu et faites fondre le fromage râpé dedans.
6. Dans un plat à gratin, ajoutez tous les ingrédients.
7. Parsemez encore de fromage et laissez cuire 20 minutes à 200°.

La Flamiche au fromage à pâte molle - Test 1

http://www.produitsderegion.fr/magazine/recettes-regionales/la-flamiche-au-maroilles

ALSO LOOK AT

https://www.mamiecaillou.com/2020/10/la-fameuse-tarte-au-maroilles-du-nord.c-est-ch-ti-c-est-sympa-et-c-est-bon.html

http://www.unecuillereenbois.fr/recette-chti-la-flamiche-au-maroilles-au-robot-de-cuisine/

https://cuisine.voozenoo.fr/2021/11/24/tarte-au-maroilles-chti/

https://cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fr/recette/331941-tarte-au-maroilles

1 - What a discovery! It's a recipe from Nord-Pas-de-Calais and is a cheesy baked bread. The consistency of the bread is reminiscent of brioche. I don't know if this is how it's supposed to go but the cheese all melted in a pool and kind of became a sauce I spooned over the pieces when I cut up the bread. The original uses the local Maroilles cheese, I substituted with Cambozola. It strikes me more as a side dish than a main, but I served it with lots of roasted veg and it went down really well.

NOTE: there is one detail I can't remember. In the original recipe it has you put the dough aside to rise once, then spread in the baking pan and put in the oven immediately. I wonder if I didn't spread the dough immediately in the pie plate to rise and then just put the toppings on before baking. I've used the recipe's version first for my next try.

3 Tbsps milk

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp dry active yeast

250g flour 

2 eggs

2 Tbsps olive oil 

1 generous pinch of salt

200g thick crème fraiche 

250g of Maroilles or other soft cheese like Cambozola or Brie

Salt and pepper, to taste

Butter to grease the baking pan

For the dough

1. Warm the milk. In a small bowl mix the milk, sugar and yeast. Allow to rest and proof for 5-10 minutes
2. Meanwhile, put the flour in a large bowl and make a hollow in the middle.
3. Add the eggs, oil and salt. Mix until completely combined, then add the yeasty milk.
4. Knead until the dough forms a ball, about 10 minutes. If it's too wet, add a meagre sprinkle of flour at a time until you obtain a smooth, slightly tacky ball of dough.
5. Cover and set aside in a warm place for an hour or two.

For the filling

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Grease a pie plate with butter and spread the dough in the pie plate from edge to edge.
3. Slice the cheese into 1/2" slices.
4. Evenly spread the crème fraiche over the dough, then layer on top with the slices of cheese.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Garnir la pâte de  épaisse.
7. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

DÉGUSTATION:

Pairs well with a crisp salad and/or roasted vegetables.

Gratin of Winter Squash - Testing

https://www.ptitchef.com/recettes/plat/gratin-a-la-courge-poivree-fid-186496

https://www.prouditaliancook.com/2015/10/butternut-delicada-and-acorn-squash-gratin-with-crispy-sage.html

https://eatingeuropean.com/acorn-and-butternut-squash-gratin-casserole/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/232280/parmesan-roasted-acorn-squash/

0 - I've cobbled together a bunch of different recipes to make up this one. I'm ambivalent about the onion, I think it would be good, but I'm trying this first time without it. If I do use it, I wonder if I should just pan fry it, or add it to the roasting pumpkin?

1 - The consensus is that the flavor was good. I think the egg yolk doesn't look great because it curdles instead of becoming creamy, so I'll change to a bechamel-based sauce like my other gratin dishes. The garlic flavor was quite strong, not unpleasant to me, but I suspect it may become a problem in subsequent trials, so I'll keep in mind the possibility of frying them first. Most importantly is how the veg cook - I will try to cook them like I do the gratin of potatoes, with the sauce, and putting things in raw for a slower bake.

2 - This worked wonderfully well. I used turban squash, but weighed it with the skin on. Once sliced, there didn't seem to be enough, so next time we will weigh the 800gr after peeling. I've bumped it to Test 1 since it's so damn close.

3 - Alright, it's been a while since I made this. The recipe is a bit wonky so I'm reviewing it. I halved it since I'd written before how much it made. I ended up using the full amount of squash and halved the rest. Oh, and I just realized I forgot the garlic. Argh, and I forgot the cream. I used kabocha squash.

Serves 4

800gr acorn squash, Turban squash or Styrian Pumpkin, peeled and 1/8" slices 

NOTE - weigh the squash AFTER peeling

Olive oil (approx. 1 Tbsp)

400 g potatoes, 1/4" slices

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 onion, chopped

110gr Gruyère cheese, grated

40 g butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cups milk

1 cups heavy cream

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt, to taste

1/4 tsp pepper, to taste

A pinch of nutmeg

OPTIONAL : Crispy fried Sage leaves

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until it still feels al dente when tested with a fork. Allow to cool. This is to concentrate the flavour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. (this seems crazy. Other Gratin dishes bake at 350 for the same amount of time. I put it at 400F and will check in a half hour.)
3. Spread the pressed garlic along the bottom of a 9x9 glass dish. 
4. Divide the squash into 3 equal portions and the potato into two, then in the dish, put down:
1. One layer of squash followed by a sprinkle of cheese
2. 1/3 of the onion
3. A second layer, of potato this time, followed by a sprinkle of cheese
4. 1/3 of the onion
5. A third layer or squash again, followed by a sprinkle of cheese
6. 1/3 of the onion
7. Another layer of potato with the sprinkle of cheese
8. Finishing with a final layer of squash and followed by a sprinkle of cheese
5. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. 
6. With a whisk blend in the flour and cook until it turns pale golden and you've roasted out the floury flavor.
7. Add all the milk stirring constantly with the whisk to break up clods of flour, and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme.
8. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally with the whisk, until the sauce thickens.
9. Add the cream, whisking.
10. Pour this evenly over the squash and potatoes. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the top starts to brown.

Gratin de pâtisson et de pomme de terre - Untested

 https://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recette_gratin-de-patisson-et-de-pomme-de-terre_24974.aspx

Gratin de patisson (Summer squash gratin) - Untested

 https://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recette_gratin-de-patisson_12807.aspx

1 - It was good, the cheese on top nice and browned. We noticed that on it's own, it is missing something, but with crust toasted bread, it was much better. So, something like that to go with it. I also noticed that it was very wet, which to me signifies more draining or even pressing out excess liquid from the scaloppini. Next time I will adapt the Cheese Souffle recipe to this.

1-2 basil leaves, sliced

1lb scaloppini squash (pattypan)

1 cup milk

3 eggs (separated)

70g + 30g grated Gruyère

1/4 tsp ginger

1 Tbsp sugar
50g butter
(optional) 1 Tbsp chives

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. (?)
2. Peel the pattypan and cut into 1/4" cubes.
3. Boil in plenty of salted water with the bay leaf for about 20 minutes. 
4. Drain well as the pattypan can absorb a lot of water. Run the squash through a food mill or blender, let it sit and then drain off as much liquid as you can.
5. Beat together the yolk and the milk - add the cheese, ginger and sugar.
6. Beat the whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt. Stir a spoonful into the yolk mixture, then pour the yolk mixture onto the remaining whites and gently fold together. 
7. Gently fold into the egg and cheese bowl, along with the butter cut into small cubes.
8. Grease a gratin dish and pour in the batter. Sprinkle over this the 30g of cheese and a few more cubes of butter. Salt the surface as your last flourish, unless you're also using the optional chives.
9. Brown in the oven for about 45 minutes. (?)

Testing - Potatoes au gratin

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/149261/gruyere-potato-gratin/

1 - I decided to mix together the wine and cream since I've done this in cream sauces before and they've worked... have I just jinxed myself?!? The original had you mix water and wine together and cook until potatoes are tender, then add cream and cook 15 min. until thickened.
2 - Mixing the cream and wine was no problemo. But there wasn't enough sauce or cheese!
3 - Floury vs. waxy potatoes is very important! I used super fresh potatoes and it took longer to cook, and none of the liquid got soaked up by the potatoes. The flavour was excellent, but we got none of the creaminess.

4 - The sauce is to die for!!! But it does take a very long time for the onion and the potato to cook enough, so try not to skimp on time. I simplified the steps by removing the 'tossing onions and potatoes with salt and pepper and thyme' thing and it worked very well, but there seemed to be less sauce.

TIMING: 2hrs

The poor sauce may have been because of a typo. Try this:
2 Tbsps. softened butter
1 1/2 lb. floury, old potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 1 large onion (10oz/285gr), chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp minced fresh thyme OR a pinch of nutmeg
(1 cup) 2 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup cup white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Grease a baking dish with the butter. Spread 1/3 of the onion (approx. 85g) into the bottom. 
3. Layer with 1/3 of the potato (approx. 245g).
4. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the minced thyme and a healthy pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper.
5. Sprinkle half of the Gruyere cheese over the potatoes, then add another layer of the mixture, repeating steps 2 to 4. 
6. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese followed by the remaining potatoes and onion, repeating steps 2 to 4. 
7. Mix together the wine and cream and pour over the potatoes.
8. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. 
9. Once tender, bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top and thicken the cream.

Turnip, potato & mustard gratin - Testing

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/166607/turnip-potato-and-mustard-gratin

1 - Trying this for the first time, I have not allowed enough baking time, so it's raw and in the refrigerator for tomorrow. Apart from the potatoes turning purple, keeping it for what turned out to be 4 days was fine, just not recommended. This is a very mild and kind of sweet dish. It was good with a salad and fresh bread, but is better as a side dish instead of a main. I will keep it at the Testing stage to bake it on the same day as I make it. OH! And also, the original instructed thick slices and I am changing it to thin. It may reduce the baking time as well.

2 cups water
2 cups milk 

Salt and pepper
1½ lb (720g/25oz) turnip or rutabaga, sliced thin
2 lbs (907g/32oz) potatoes, sliced thin
butter, for greasing
1 garlic clove, halved
1½ cups heavy cream
3 Tbsps. Dijon mustard 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. 
2. Fill a saucepan with the water, the milk, a good pinch of salt and a grinding of black pepper, then bring to the boil. Add the turnips and potatoes and cook for 2 mins. Strain, drain well and pat dry.
3. Butter a baking dish and rub the sides with garlic to just add a hint of flavour. 
4. Mix the cream and mustard in a large bowl, add the potatoes and turnip, mix until well coated. Seasoning well in between layers, fit all the potato and turnip in alternating layers into the baking dish, flattening the top level. 
5. Bake for 40 to 60 mins or until golden brown and the turnip and potato are cooked through – check with the point of a sharp knife.

Testing - Creamed Brussels Sprouts Gratin

I ended up leaving it too long in the oven, so the cheese on top got a little over done, but the Brussels sprouts got all soft, which I typically don't like, but in this instance it went really well with the creaminess of the dish.

1/2 lb bacon

2 tbsps butter

2 1/2 lb brussels sprouts

1 minced small onion

2 cups cream

salt and pepper

6 oz grated Gruyere

1. Cook the bacon down in butter until it browned bits start to form on the bottom of the pan.
2. Add the sprouts (when buying or harvesting sprouts, try to choose small, tight, dense heads, the smaller the better. If they're the size of a quarter, you can leave them whole. Anything bigger, cut in half or quarters.
3. So here, should I stir-fry the sprouts for about 5 minutes, or just enough to scrape up the browned bits of bacon at the bottom of the pan? Although it's ok if the sprouts brown, it's just not necessary since the bacon will be all the browning flavour you'll need.
4. Add the minced shallot, and stir until it's just softened and aromatic, about 1 minute. Turn down the heat and take the pan off the element to cool things down before adding the cream. This will prevent scalding the cream.
5. Add the cream to the cooled pan and reintroduce to the heat source. Scrape up all remaining browned bits. Bring it to a slow boil and then reduce the temperature for a slow simmer.
6. Allow the cream to slowly reduce to about half it's original volume, and the Brussels sprouts are softened. The loose cream will have turned into, well, a creamy sauce. Add the salt and pepper.
7. You could stop here, and serve immediately.
8. Or you could add a layer of Gruyère. At this stage you can opt to cover up the casserole and refrigerate it, to finish baking later.
9. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425F, adjusting the rack to the centre position, and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese on top is melted and spotted with brown.

Testing - Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage

This recipe asked for blue cheese, and I had some Leicester Blue on hand. The overall feeling was that it was the wrong cheese to match with the dish. I'll have to try a different kind of blue cheese.

 

2lbs  cubed peeled butternut squash in 3/4-inches
1 Large thinly sliced onion
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Butter
1 1/2oz Panko
4 tsps olive oil, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Steam the cubed butternut squash, covered, for about 10 minutes or until tender.
3. In a small bowl toss Panko with 2 tsp olive oil to coat.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tsps oil in a large pan and saute the onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cooked butternut squash, the chopped sage, salt, and black pepper, and toss gently to combine. Spoon the squash mixture into a buttered baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the crumbled cheese evenly over the squash mixture, followed by the Panko. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crumbs are golden brown.