Gratin of Leeks and Turnips
I first had this dish during a sweet autumn sojourn in Provence. Paired with a slice of country bread and a glass of Cotes du Rhone, it made a perfect lunch. We followed it with dessert of the first fresh local pears of the season.
I first had this dish during a sweet autumn sojourn in Provence. Paired with a slice of country bread and a glass of Cotes du Rhone, it made a perfect lunch. We followed it with dessert of the first fresh local pears of the season.
- Carbohydrate 42.9623925406973 g
- Cholesterol 290.537773503329 mg
- Fat 19.9389756053843 g
- Fiber 6.86776513707723 g
- Protein 18.6488857802074 g
- Saturated Fat 7.08402261929703 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (450g)
- Sodium 603.434708068223 mg
- Sugar 36.09462740362 g
- Trans Fat 2.4378292314757 g
- Calories 408 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Steam (or cook in water) the leeks and turnips for about 15 minutes.
- Butter a gratin dish and spread the drained vegetables in it.
- Break the eggs in a bowl.
- Add mustard and whisk well.
- Add cream, half of the walnuts and mix well.
- Season to taste and pour on top of vegetables.
- Sprinkle with the remaining half of the walnuts and the grated cheese, and put in oven for 15 minutes or until the top is nicely golden.
- Serve immediately.
Why is my gratin swimming in liquid? This is the exact query that plagues home cooks who transfer freshly boiled root vegetables directly into a baking dish without accounting for cellular water content. Turnips and leeks both hold vast amounts of moisture that release gradually during baking, turning a rich custard into a watery soup if unchecked.
Preventing this failure requires aggressive draining after the initial fifteen-minute steam or boil. Press the cooked vegetables gently against the colander mesh using the back of a wooden spoon, then let them sit undisturbed for five minutes so residual steam escapes completely before the dairy and eggs are added. Gruyere, Comté, and Emmental offer high fat content and low moisture, melting into a stable golden crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit without releasing additional oils that separate from the custard base. Whisking the Dijon mustard directly into the raw eggs before folding in the sour cream creates an emulsified binder that grips the vegetable surfaces rather than sliding off them during the final fifteen minutes in the oven.
Swapping the walnuts for toasted hazelnuts introduces a deeper earthy note that complements the sulfurous pungency of the leeks.
