Vegetarians for Thanksgiving.
Whenever I host Thanksgiving dinner, I make sure that there are plenty of genuinely interesting and flavorful dishes available for those who eschew meat… or perhaps just don’t like turkey. (Count me among the latter.) This saves them from surviving on a surplus dose of mashed potatoes and peas. I like to include dishes that feel special and can easily stand alone as a veggie main course.
One of my favorite dishes is this White and Sweet Potato Gratin. Sure, it can be a side dish, but it’s also special enough to sate any vegetarian at the Thanksgiving table. Over the years, we’ve noticed that everyone goesback for seconds, even thirds, of this dish—more than for any other. A couple of dishes like this on your table and everyone has an enjoyable meal. Some other vegetarian favorites are my Deconstructed Green Bean Casserole (minus the pancetta), Autumn Salad, and Cauliflower, Tomato and Chèvre Gratin.
~ David
White and Sweet Potato Gratin
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Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 6 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- nutmeg, as needed
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 6 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel and thinly slice all four potatoes, keeping separated by color.
- In a 10-inch round (or similar-sized) deep casserole, place half the white potatoes on the bottom in a thin layer, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary, and a grating of nutmeg.
- Next, cover with a layer of half the sweet potatoes; sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary.
- Repeat layering using up all remaining potatoes, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper and rosemary.
- Pour cream over potatoes and cover casserole with lid (or foil). Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (see notes).
- Meanwhile, mix the grated cheeses. Remove the top and check the potatoes for doneness (if not tender, return to the oven for a bit). Sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the top, then return to the oven, uncovered, for 3 minutes, or until cheeses are nicely melted and bubbly.
- Serves 8.
- Notes:
- • Baking time will vary depending on your casserole and your oven. Test the potatoes with a fork or knife for doneness. A little overdone is better than a little underdone.
- • If making this in a smaller casserole (8-inch square, for example), reduce the cream and cheese proportionately. There will be leftover potato slices that you can use for another purpose.
- • This dish can be made in advance and reheated.
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