For me, the change of seasons is always centered around food. As we enter into fall and all it brings with it (cooler temperature, falling leaves, Oregon sunshine), I start craving hearty comfort foods such as roasts, homemade soups and stews, and fall and winter vegetables. Here are two recipes to help you welcome the fall season to your table.
Cheese Gratin With Root Vegetables
Serves 4
Ingredients
-3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/8" slices
-2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/8" slices
-1 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/8" slices
-1 cup of grated Comte or Gruyère cheese
-1 1/2 tbl flour
-1 1/4 cup of heavy cream
-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
-salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Boil parsnips, turnips and rutabaga in salted water for 4-6 minutes until tender. Drain and dry well. Arrange a layer of vegetables on the bottom of a buttered 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle a bit of flour, salt, pepper and cheese. Repeat for a second layer. Layer the remainder of the vegetables on the third layer, then pour the cream evenly over the vegetables and sprinkle on the nutmeg. Cover with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 40 minutes more, until golden. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Squash, Potato And Fontina Cheese Gratin
Ingredients
-4 small to medium yukon gold or red potatoes
-2 medium zucchini or yellow sqash
-4 oz grated Fontina cheese
-1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
-3 tbl olive oil
-1/4 cup whole milk
-salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a chef's knife to slice vegetables in to very thin slices. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Drizzle olive oil into a 9x9 " baking dish amd spread it around evenly. Place 1/3 of the vegetables in the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top this with 1/2 of the Fontina cheese. Repeat this for a second layer of 1/3 of the vegetable, salt and pepper and 1/2 the Fontina cheese. Layer on the final 1/3 of the vegetables, salt and pepper. Pour the milk evenly over the entire dish and top with the parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove and let rest for 10-15 minutes, then serve.
Willamette Cheese Steward Cassie Stockton knows cheese. Also a wealth of wisdom when it comes to the many other accompaniments found at your Market cheese shop, such as oils, vinegars, salts, fruits spreads, honey, crackers, nuts, pâtés and dried fruits, Cassie offers practical advice and insight for both the novice and culinarily gifted.
Passionate and knowledgeable, Southwest Portland Cheese Steward Daniele Brose demystifies cheese in a way that encourages the cheese-timid to explore new pastures. Growing up in a foodie household with parents who fed her blue cheese and pâté at an early age, Daniele learned that eating is an adventure.
Moderation is a way of life for Cheese Merchandiser Ruth Taggart. She believes there’s a lot to be said for living modestly. That’s also the way she feels about cheese. “Keep it simple. Don’t be afraid to try new things – just enjoy it,” she says. A Cheese Steward for many years, Ruth offers a wealth of wisdom when it comes to cheese.
