Roasted Zucchini Gratin

Sometimes an idea sits just under your consciousness, lurking.  Like a tiny pebble in your shoe that you only feel every tenth step. Or a neighbor who always knows when you're home. She doesn't come to the door, but just peeks out every once in a while to let you know she's still there.

I have had an idea for zucchini gratin pestering me like that. About a year ago we had a delicious version at our friends' house. It tasted fresh but was also comfortingly cheesy, everything you want in a gratin. Of course Gabe and I thought it was delicious, but more importantly, our kids all loved it too. All three of them, which is not easy to pull off, especially for a dish whose primary ingredient is a green vegetable.

I came home and immediately tried to replicate it, but my versions were always soggy and watery, not at all ideal. Then on Food52, I found this recipe that involved roasting the zucchini first. Not only does that give the zucchini more flavor, but I hoped it would dry it out a bit so that the end result would be cheesy and tasty and wouldn't turn into a mushy mess.

Bingo!

I added a bit of egg to the dish so that it could stand up as a main course for us vegetarians. It approaches a frittata, but isn't quite that eggy. We ate it with salad and bread for a perfect weeknight meal.

This is another one of those recipes that can be embellished or adapted according to your likes or dislikes. We made it with manchego and mozzarella, but you could substitute your own favorites. Gruyere? Stilton? Cheddar? Any of those would be delicious too, as would switching the out the rosemary for basil, thyme, or chives.

I'm so glad we've gotten this lurker out into the open.

2011: Moroccan-Style Vegetable Stew
2010: Wasabi and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
2009: Roasted Shallot and Buttercup Squash Soup

Roasted Zucchini Gratin

Serves 8
20 minutes preparation time
1 hour baking time

3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 scallions, sliced
1 cup shredded Manchego
1/4 cup mozzarella, cubed
3 eggs
approximately 1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.

Layer the zucchini, onion, and shallot in the casserole dish. Drizzle on 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle the vegetables with the rosemary, salt, and pepper, and stir them enough to coat them with the oil. Roast the zucchini in the oven, stirring once or twice, until it is tender when pierced with a knife but still holds its shape, about 20 minutes. 

In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and the scallions. Break the eggs into a 2-cup measuring cup, and add milk until the mixture hits the 1 1/2 cup mark.

Remove the zucchini from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle on the lemon zest and stir it in. Pour the egg-milk mixture over the zucchini. Sprinkle the cheese on top and return it to the oven. Bake until the gratin is golden brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

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Comments

[Andrea]

Well, I was going to make this for dinner, even roasted the zucchini and onions (didn't have shallots, of course). But since I don't really have many of the other ingredients either, I think I'll call my concoction "inspired by Hide the Cheese". That's the point anyways, right?

[Nohemy]

Love the garden! My patio ptlans are doing pretty well, but the Topsy Turvey Tomato planter thingy may be a bust. The plant is HUGE and has yet to produce a single tomato yet. Fingers crossed I'll have a bumper crop in the next month or so.