Beet and Turnip Gratin
The sweet, earthy flavors of these rainbow-hued root vegetables shine through in this gratin, which includes no cream or cheese. For a beautiful presentation, use a combination of red, chioggia and golden beets. If you’d like, add other root vegetables, such as rutabaga and celery root, to the dish.
Ingredients
- 9 Tbs. (4 1/2 oz./140 g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (3 3/4 oz./115 g) finely chopped shallots
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 1/2 lb. (2.25 kg) assorted varieties of beets and turnips,
peeled and sliced crosswise into rounds 1/16 inch (2 mm)
thick - 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) chicken stock
- 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives
Directions
Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a gratin dish with 1 Tbs. of the butter.
In a fry pan over medium heat, melt 3 Tbs. of the butter. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 5 Tbs. butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the beet and turnip slices in overlapping rows in the prepared dish, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the butter mixture evenly on top, followed by the stock. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the vegetables are tender and just starting to brown, about 30 minutes more. Let the gratin cool for 30 minutes, then sprinkle with the chives and serve. Serves 8.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen