I’m going to be honest… I’ve never really been a gratin person. But this recipe has me thinking otherwise. This slightly lightened and modified version uses milk instead of heavy cream and adds in a healthy dose of greens (which you can also omit if that’s not your thing). A combination of cheddar and gruyere adds depth and the ultimate cheesy factor needed for a dish like this.
The biggest reason I love this: It’s SUPER SIMPLE! Literally 4 easy steps in this recipe. The oven does all the work here. The ingredients are also versatile. If you’re unsure about turnips, use a smaller portion of turnips and mostly potatoes. You can also just use potatoes. So far red and purple potatoes are my favorites to use.
Similarly, you can use 2% or whole milk if that’s what you have on hand, a different type of green as long as it’s a bit hearty (we used collards last time which I enjoyed even more than the kale!), and a different mix of cheeses.
Turnip & Potato Gratin with Greens
- 2 pounds mix of turnips and potatoes, thinly sliced into rounds and then cut into half moons (I like doing 1/2 pound turnips and 1 1/2 pound potatoes. As far as potatoes, I’ve done both Yukon, red and purple potatoes. All worked well!
- 1/2 bunch lacinato kale or collard greens (2.5 ounces), stems removed and sliced into ribbons
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/3 cup 1% milk
- Heaping 1/2 cup (2 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese
- Heaping 1/2 cup 2 ounces gruyere
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Arrange turnips and potatoes into a 9’’ skillet by stacking them vertically (see picture). Then place kale around the turnips to fill the pan. The greens will greatly reduce in size, so stack a bit more than you think.
- Combine milk and season with salt and pepper Pour over arranged turnips and kale.
- Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and kale and season. Top with 3/4 of the cheeses, reserving 1/4 for later.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, add the remaining cheese and place back in oven for 25-30 more minutes, until all the milk has evaporated and the top is brown. Serve.
Notes
