Potatoes and Cauliflower Avec Frommage

English: Orange cauliflower (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"Gratin" of Cauliflower and Potatoes

I guess I could just call this cheesy potatoes and cauliflower. I don't know if it is technically a Gratin.  I don't really care about the label. I just know the man of the house liked it.

Because the veg are precooked they don't take long in the oven. I think a traditional gratin would have butter and cream or milk or a roux. Not going to happen that way here though unless it's a super special dinner.

I like the orange cauliflower because it seems to have its own buttery taste.

1 Quart New Potatoes halved

1 head of Cauliflower preferably orange, trimmed and broken into bite sized florets

salt

Preheat your oven to 375°F

Fill a pan with water and add some salt

Add potatoes, bring to a boil and and lower to a gentle boil.  Cook five minutes.

Add Cauliflower and boil about 2 minutes.  Drain and set aside for a moment.

6 Tablespoons shredded Italian cheeses, divided

2 Tablespoons bread crumbs

spray, oil or butter a 9 by 13 pan

Add the potatoes and cauliflower

Toss three tablespoons of the cheese in, Shake to settle, 

Combine the remaining cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle on the top. Season as desired.

Cook in the oven until the cheese melts and it starts to brown. You can let it get a bit crispy too.

Serve immediately, if not sooner.

Something Yummy This Way Comes

Image via WikipediaImage via WikipediaImage via Wikipedia

I don't usually do recipes or use them much but here is a dish I made up on Friday that people loved. 

Butternut, Brussels Sprouts, and Swiss Chard Casserole

I don't measure. And nothing is exact. Use your own good judgment.

2 small or 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed,  and cubed,

one stalk of Brussels Sprouts cleaned and trimmed, cut in half if larger,

2 bunches of swiss chard,

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, large cut in dice or crescents

unsalted butter

Mushroom/chicken or vegetable stock

grated Italian cheese like parmesan, romano, etc.

about 3/4 cup of mozzarella or other soft cheese

Olive oil, 

Oregano

salt and pepper

Bread crumbs 

1 lb pasta cooked until not quite done and drained

6 sun-dried tomato pieces, soaked in hot water and cut into dice. reserve soaking water.

preheat oven to 400°F

Up to a day before clean and trim chard, cut into pieces. Leave the chard wet.

In a large pot over medium heat put some oil and the garlic and saute a bit. 

Add the chard, toss to coat with the oil and cover. 

Cook until the leaves wilt. then turn off the stove but leave the cover and the chard on stove to cook in residual heat.

Toss onion, squash, oil, salt and pepper in a roasting pan and put in a single layer.  Add some boiling water to the pan, not too much, it will mostly evaporate. Roast at least ten minutes or until it is somewhat tender. 

Add the sprouts, tossed in oil. Cook until all is tender. 

Remove from the oven and add in the chard and whatever pot liquor is left, the sun-dried tomatoes and their liquid  and the pasta.Add a little oregano or other herbs you like. Reduce oven to 350

mix the cheeses and the bread crumbs together

Oil or butter a 9 by 13 casserole dish and put a layer of veg in it. Sprinkle a thin layer of the cheese/crumb mixture

Put a second vegetable-pasta layer on that add enough stock to come up the side a half of an inch.

Cover with the remaining mixture and bake until the top is browned and the liquid is mostly absorbed.

Of course with enough crusty cheese topping cardboard would be delicious  but there was almost none left.
I used penne and it was gluten free. There were at least 15 people eating the casserole.