Potato Rutabaga Gratin

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Bully at the front door!

Pisten Bully, that is.  Eric Anderson on an early morning grooming ride and clearing a path for us after the heavy snowfall.  I can’t resist showing a few more pics from Coleen Sullins of our stay in the Ironwood/ABR winter wonderland—such a magical setting.

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Scott clearing a path to the outhouse.

Keeping an eye on how much those sneaky snow snakes have fattened up over the last week.

A little Valentine’s Day shot under the arch.  Thanks, Coleen, for the cold-weather photography!

There are days I really appreciate quiet food.

Patient, quiet food.  The dishes that we prep in the morning or day before, then roast in an oven while the snow falls or the darkness settles in at a very early hour…this is comfort that is food.

Rutabagas are often passed by because they’re big, weird looking, and people may not know what to do with them.  They behave and can be served similarly to potatoes so gratin seemed a good way to ease them in to family table.

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The rutabagas will need to be peeled but I rarely peel the potatoes—I used a Gold variety that our local producers grow.  Slice both tubers thin then par-boil and drain before layering and baking in the gratin.

Dill seed seemed a good addition to a comfort food dish, and the yogurt gives a little tangy perk.

They say the cheese is to help give a sealed layer on the top so the inside can cook more fully.  I say cheese is just always a good thing.  Jarlsberg or Gruyere would mix well with the dill seed.

This can be assembled a day or two ahead and refrigerated.

Love that patient food.

And on a completely different wavelength….

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!  

A few photos of the festivities have already been rolling in and  I look forward to seeing more—here’s a peek of the Raw Oyster Marching Club in Bay St. Louis, MS—go ladies!

Potato Rutabaga Gratin

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Heat a pot of salted water on the stove. 

Thinly slice:

4 cups Rutabagas (peeled) and Potatoes

Add them to the hot water and simmer until partly cooked.  They should be mildly soft but not mushy. 

Drain them well.

Mix together in a bowl:

4 cups of the par-cooked Rutabagas and Potatoes

1 Onion, sliced thin

2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

1 Tablespoon Rice Flour

1 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup Plain Whole Milk Yogurt

1/4 cup Parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons Dill Seed, crushed

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/8 Nutmeg

Spread in a casserole dish.

Sprinkle on the top:

2 cups Gruyere or Jarlsberg Cheese, grated

Bake for approximately 1 hour.  

A photo for reminiscing late fall at the Market…