leftovers gratin

goats - the source of goat cheese

I didn't take a picture of the gratin, which is a shame because it was so pretty.  But I'm going to make it again and perhaps I can post a photo then.  I don't even have a picture of my sage - I didn't appreciate it when I was photographing mint, tomatoes, parsley, rosemary, etc. in my garden last summer.  But this recipe is ridiculously easy and obscenely tasty.

ingredients (the vegetables are interchangeable... the cheese is the trick):

white asparagus

leeks (these are highly recommended)

parsnips (not necessary but charmingly monastic.. thin, round slices)

shallots (or onion or whatever)

sage (mine was from the freezer)

a little flour (1/4 cup)

salt, pepper

a cup of milk

cheese (I used cheddar and the least expensive goat cheese I could find), broken into chunks

directions 

1. chop veggies (the bottom 1/2 of white asparagus need to be peeled)

2. layer half of the veggies at the bottom of a pan

3. mix salt, pepper, flour, broken bits of cheese, sage in a bowl and sprinkle half over the veggies

4. layer the rest of the veggies

5. put the second half of the flour/cheese mix on top

6. pour on the milk

7. possibly add more cheese - why not?

8. cook for an hour at 350 degrees

I had a lot of reading to do last night, so naturally I made this, ate it with half a baguette, drank Lindemans Framboise (I miss you guys), and read my new favorite YA historical fiction: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing.  And I have yet to do my reading for class...

The parsnips and the asparagus both have a nice, nutty taste.  The leeks and shallots are sweet.  But most of the appeal is the melted cheese.  Thanks, goats!