Root Vegetable Gratin

I have a little crush on gratins. I love all the pretty layers. I love the savory scent of them baking in the oven. I love saying gratin in a fancy French accent. And I looooove stuffing my face with them, obvsies. But I think what I love most about any sort of gratin is that it turns a side dish from an afterthought into something quite special. 

Sure, anyone could just steam up some green beans willy nilly or chuck some potatoes into the oven to serve alongside their main course, but taking the effort to whip up a gratin always shows that extra bit of attention in the finished product, instantly taking your meal from meh to marvelous...

Just look at the gorgeous ombre layers in this Root Vegetable Gratin- it's like sunset. On a plate. Who wouldn't be impressed by that? You know what else I love about this gratin in particular? It's one of the few that I've come across that isn't a total gut bomb. The cooking liquid is mainly low-fat, low-calorie chicken or vegetable broth with a mere smidge of heavy cream added for good measure, instead of being entirely cream based as many gluttonous gratins so often are. Sigh. A judicious amount of cheese is included as well; just  a couple of tablespoons of Parmesan sprinkled on top is all you need to get that cheesy fix.

And quite possibly the best part of all- root vegetables like the sweet potato, butternut squash and rutabagas used here possess the magical quality of being SO good for you (hello fiber, antioxidants and minerals, get in my belly!) yet tasting rich and indulgent, like something you probably shouldn't be consuming in large quantities without a major repentance session on the treadmill. And that's totally crushworthy in my book.

adapted from Food & Wine
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 butternut squash neck (2 1/4 pounds) from a large butternut squash, peeled
1 medium rutabaga (2 pounds), peeled and halved lengthwise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan
*Special Equipment: Mandoline

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the potatoes and squash lengthwise 1/8 inch thick with a mandoline. Slice the rutabaga crosswise 1/8 inch thick.
2. Spray an 8x12 baking dish with cooking spray. Begin to layer the strips of vegetables as follows, making sure to season each layer: first spread half of the potatoes on the bottom layer, overlapping them slightly. Proceed with half of the rutabaga, then the squash, also overlapping. Repeat until al of the vegetables have been used. Pour the broth over and around the vegetables.
3. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the vegetables are almost tender when pierced.
4. Remove the foil and pour the cream over the gratin. Bake for about 30 minutes longer, until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
5. Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle parmesan over the gratin and broil 3 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt. Let the gratin stand for 10 minutes, then serve.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Ricotta Flatbread with Arugula + Pomegranate

I catered a 1 year old's birthday party recently, but judging by the array of delicacies I prepared this menu was clearly for the adults. There was beef tenderloin on potato crisps with horseradish creme, smoked salmon on potato cakes with meyer lemon and capers, ahi tartare and more! But one dish in particular rose from the underdog ranks to a sweeping victory: my Roasted Sweet Potato and Ricotta Flatbread.

These humble grilled flatbreads adorned with bright, seasonal colors and flavors were gobbled up at an alarmingly faster rate than their fancier counterparts, and I can see why...it was one of those instances where all the ideal flavors and textures are perfectly aligned in one bite; the warm, chewy flatbread accented with char and flecks of fresh thyme. The rich, creamy ricotta balanced by a juicy burst of pomegranate juice. The softness and caramelization of roasted sweet potato challenged by a crisp, peppery note from the arugula. Not to mention those perfect jewel-toned fall colors jumping out at you from the hours d'oeuvres tray- who could resist??

makes 3-4 flatbreads
Ingredients
for the flatbread:
1 pkg. active yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. olive oil

for the toppings:
1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
1/2 cup ricotta
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
salt and pepper

Instructions
1. In the bowl of a food processor combine the yeast, sugar, flour, salt and thyme. Pulse to combine. Add the water in a steady stream until the dough forms into a ball. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.
2. Coat a bowl with 1 tsp. olive oil, place dough in bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, toss sweet potato with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, spread in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, turning once with a spatula. Set aside.
4. When the dough has doubled in size, punch down and knead lightly into a smooth ball. Cut dough into 3-4 pieces and with a rolling pin roll into 6 inch long roughly shaped rectangles.
5. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. When grill is hot add flatbreads and cook about 1-2 minutes each side (do not flip until bubbles begin to form on surface). Remove from heat when bread begins to puff.
6. Brush flatbreads with remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Evenly divide ricotta and sweet potato amongst each flatbread, season with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Heat in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes until ricotta is warm. Remove from oven and scatter flatbreads with arugula and pomegranate seeds. Cut into squares or slices and serve immediately.

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Sweet Potato Plantain Cakes with Cucumber Pineapple Salsa

I created this recipe as an entry to Louisiana Cookin's 2013 Sweet Rewards Contest. The guidelines are to create a recipe using fresh, canned or frozen sweet potatoes in one of five different categories. I opted to use fresh for my recipe...it's always the way to go if you ask me!

I love making mashed potato cakes as a side dish for dinners, but I wanted to come up with a more unique version for the contest, so I created this bite-sized version using sweet potatoes for the appetizer category. I added plantains to the mixture for some exotic flair, and topped the cakes with a colorful cucumber pineapple salsa. Wouldn't these be perfect to serve at your next barbecue or summer cocktail party? 

 I hope you'll give these a try soon, and wish me luck on my very first recipe contest, eek! I think I might submit a recipe for the dessert category as well...if so I'll be sure to share it here too!

makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients
for the potato cakes:
1 medium to large sweet potato, peeled and sliced
1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 tbsp coconut oil

for the salsa:
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions
1. Place the sweet potato and plantain in a stockpot with rapidly boiling water and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
2. While potatoes are cooling make the salsa by combining all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Mash cooled potatoes and plantains using a potato ricer (or potato masher). Add flour and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Form mixture into 1 inch patties using a small cookie scooper for uniformity. Transfer to a plate and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, add potato cakes and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and top with cucumber pineapple salsa.

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