Gratin of Belgian Endive with Bacon (Gratin d'Endives Ardennaise)

Serve this dish as a hearty appetizer or side dish. If you prefer, double the serving size to yield four entrée portions. As they're exposed to light and begin to age, the endive leaves curl and turn bitter, so be sure to choose plump, white, firm heads and store them in a dark, cool place. The gratin can be prepared up to two days ahead, refrigerated, and browned just before serving.

8 heads Belgian endive, trimmed and halved
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon butter
Dash of grated fresh nutmeg
Cooking spray
2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Sprinkle endive evenly with sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange endive halves, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet; cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until endive is tender when pierced with a fork, turning after 15 minutes.

3. Increase oven temperature to 400°.

4. Cook 1 3/4 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). To make a slurry, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Stir flour into remaining 1/4 cup milk, whisking until well blended. Stir slurry, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper into hot milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat; add butter and nutmeg, stirring until blended. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

5. Arrange endive in a 13 x 9–inch shallow casserole dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with bacon. Pour sauce over endive; top with cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 endive halves and about 1/4 cup sauce)

CALORIES 120 ; FAT 5.8g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.4g); CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 179mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.2g; SODIUM 263mg; PROTEIN 6.6g; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 0.5mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2009

Yukon Gold Potatoes with Wild Mushroom Gratin and Blue Cheese

yield: Serves 6 to 8

Use fresh button mushrooms if wild mushrooms are hard to get; you will still have delicious results. Yukon Gold potatoes have a pale yellow color and a buttery taste that adds to the richness of this dish. hide ›
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Ingredients

* 5 ounces crumbled blue cheese (such as Stilton, Gorgonzola or Maytag blue; about 1 1 /2 cups), room temperature
* 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper


* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
* 1 pound mixed fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, morel, portobello, stemmed shiitake, oyster, crimini or hedgehog), thickly sliced
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried


* 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced into rounds

Preparation

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Place cheese in medium bowl; add 1 cup/2 cream. Using fork, mash mixture to chunky paste. Mix in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix in remaining 2 cups cream.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and herbs; sauté until mushrooms are tender and liquid cooks away, about 8 minutes. (Cheese sauce and mushrooms can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Arrange half of potatoes on bottom of prepared dish. Spoon 3/4 cup cheese sauce evenly over. Top with all of mushroom mixture, 3/4 cup cheese sauce, then remaining potatoes. Top with remaining cheese sauce. Cover dish with foil.

Bake gratin 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender, top is golden brown and sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes; serve hot.

From Epicurious.com

Mashed Potato Gratin

Although Yukon gold potatoes give this cheesy gratin extra buttery flavor and color, russets also will work.

Yield 14 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)
Ingredients

* 4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
* 1 cup (4 ounces) fontina cheese, shredded and divided
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) Gruyère cheese, shredded and divided
* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup warm 1% low-fat milk (100° to 110°)
* Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place potatoes in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add 3/4 cup fontina cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, butter, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to pan; mash with a fork or potato masher until well combined. Add warm milk to pan; continue mashing potato mixture until desired consistency. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup fontina cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Gruyère cheese. Cover with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; remove and discard foil.

Preheat broiler.

Broil gratin 5 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Nutritional Information

Calories:188 (29% from fat)
Fat:6g (sat 3.6g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:6.9g
Carbohydrate:27.1g
Fiber:2.3g
Cholesterol:20mg
Iron:0.4mg
Sodium:276mg
Calcium:134mg

Jackie Mills, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2006