Butternut Squash Gratin = Fall in a Bowl

Week one, Day one of Couch to 5K is behind me and I know tomorrow will bring sore muscles. The run felt like I was back in high school, forced to participate in whatever sport the gym teacher made us play. I ran in one minute increments, but after 20 minutes my lungs felt like I had run for an hour. I cursed at myself wondering why anyone would put themselves through this torture willingly. On my route I saw a bunch of neighborhood kids on the playground and one girl about eight years old started running alongside me to catch up to her friends. She ran with ease and excitement and I huffed and puffed, counting down the seconds until I could rest again. 

Yesterday marked the beginning of fall on the calendar but today it really felt like it. The air is crisp and cooler. I took advantage of the pleasant weather to make a new recipe from my favorite cookbook.

Butternut Squash Gratin with Onions and Sage. 

Forget baked macaroni and cheese, this is the ultimate comfort food without the heaviness and high caloric guilt. Since I don’t like to cut too many corners when I cook, I made fresh bread crumbs. It might sound like a lot of work, but it was really simple. The bread crumbs in the grocery store are full of high sodium levels and food additives so I usually steer clear of them.

Two pieces of oat bread broken up.

Then a few spins in the food processor.

I prepped everything, Mise en place.

Onions, fresh sage and thyme were sautéed in a pan of olive oil.

Butternut squash was dredged in flour and sifted to get rid of the excess.

They were then sautéed in a pan of olive oil until brown. The recipe called for 6 cups of butternut squash, which was too much for the pan. I wanted to keep the temperature at a constant temperature so I sautéed the squash in batches. If you overcrowd the pan it will lower the temperature making it harder to cook evenly. This same rule applies to any food you sauté in a pan.

 

Fresh parsley, salt, and pepper was added for another layer of flavor.

Then I added the butternut squash on top of the onion mixture in the gratin dish.

Gruyere cheese, freshly grated topped the squash and then about a ½ cup of the homemade veggie broth from yesterday for moisture during the baking process. 

It baked for 25 minutes then I took it out to add the fresh bread crumbs.

Another 10 to 12 minutes later, the gratin came out of the oven, the smell of freshly baked butternut squash and cheese wafted throughout my house. 

It was the perfect dish for a cold, fall night. Since I used veggie broth instead of cream and only a cup of gruyere cheese the meal felt light and satisfying. 

Off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday. I can tell the football game has begun because my upstairs neighbor is yelling at the Patriots through his T.V. screen. Wonder what he hears coming from below. 

Sarah Jenkins