Potato and Brussels Sprout Gratin

When Brianna and I decided against participating in our CSA this winter season, I have to admit I was a little devastated.  I simply loved going to the friendly Sixth Street Community Center every Tuesday to pick out my weekly vegetables, running into various friends and neighbors there, and participating in the Community Center's events and dinners.  Our CSA also provided all sorts of inspiration for meals, and even inspiration for a few of my blog posts.  Unfortunately, due to reasons that ranged from funding to timing, Brianna and I declined when November registration rolled around.

I was a bit worried about not participating in the CSA.  I dreaded going to the grocery store during the week.  I feared that I wouldn't eat as well and that we wouldn't have access to the variety of vegetables that the CSA provided.  I didn't want to get stuck in a rut, buying the same things from the store every week, making the same dishes for lack of inspiration, and ordering takeout if I hadn't gone grocery shopping.

As I sat around wondering where, oh where, I would get my produce from, and generally feeling sorry for myself, the weeks slipped by, and before I knew it the holidays were around the corner and Tuesday nights were filled with dinners with friends and I almost forgot about our little CSA.  Almost.

It certainly was an adjustment at first, and I was so used to knowing exactly where my vegetables were coming from and exactly when I would be getting them.  But slowly, I came to terms with not knowing, and the mystery of it all was quite exciting.  Weeknight meals became subject to my own whimsical whim and I discovered that, if you close your eyes and suspend disbelief for just a moment, potatoes from the farmers market taste just the same as potatoes from your CSA!

Though I do miss our dear CSA, life without it has not been so hard, I guess.  I can still find locally grown fruit and vegetables at my farmers market, and I've realized that my own belly and cravings are inspiration enough for simple and creative dishes.

Like this potato and brussels sprout gratin.

 

I love gratins.  They definitely keep it simple.  They don't require too much attention or handling; just layer some potatoes and stuff in a baking dish and pop it into the oven.  An hour later, you'll come back to bubbling, melty, creamy goodness.  It's quite amazing how such humble ingredients can come together to form something so heavenly.

Potato Gratin. Grat-ahhhn. Gra-TON. GRAt'n.

Potato and Brussels Sprout Gratin

4 medium sized yellow potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds with a mandolin or sharp knife
1/2 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and roughly sliced (into more than just halves)
1/2 pound melty cheese (or more), like raclette or a swiss gruyere, grated
1 cup heavy cream, more if necessary
salt and pepper
butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9x9 baking dish.  In the baking dish, arrange potato slices so they cover the whole bottom and just slightly overlap. Season with salt and pepper.  Form a thin layer of brussels sprouts on top of the potatoes and season those too with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over the brussels sprouts.  Arrange another layer of potatoes, again just slightly overlapping, on top and season once more with salt and pepper.  Pour over heavy cream until it just reaches the top layer of potatoes, but make sure the top isn't covered in cream.  Pop into the oven for about 45 minutes until potatoes are golden and the gratin is bubbly.  Remove from oven, sprinkle over the rest of the cheese, and pop back in for the last 15 minutes.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before you cut into it.