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Kale and Butternut Squash Gratin

I sniffed at kale:

...Kale and Butternut Squash Gratin, at right, from the Washington Post, looks intriguing, but kale can be tough, so I may use fresh spinach instead.

After a family discussion, we decided to make it, with kale, and it was the superstar of our Thanksgiving dinner. Even the guest who never eats anything orange loved it.

The kale was superb, the perfect foil, holding its own without being a bit tough. It gave the dish a subtle balance I associate with better restaurants than my home cooking. Spinach would have been harsh.

We assembled it the night before (it spent the night on the deck covered in plastic wrap, since the fridge was full), baked it in the morning before the turkey took over the oven, then reheated it while the turkey was resting and being carved.

You'll notice that my photo seems to have a more solid layer of topping than the Post's. This was deliberate. At the step that directs, "Discard the foil from the gratin dish and use a spatula to press down on the mixture" I urged Joe, who was manning the spatula, to press hard so the cream would rise over the vegetables. It was an inspired impulse -- the crumb and cheese mixture followed, and it all browned into a cheesy blanket. Be sure to use freshly grated strong cheese -- its modulated sharpness is an essential component.

Kale and Butternut Squash Gratin

2 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), cut in half and seeded
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 ounces kale (stems trimmed and large ribs removed), rinsed and cut into thin slices
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch allspice
Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use butter to lightly grease a large (2 1/2-quart) gratin dish.

Peel the squash, then cut it crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kale, still slightly damp, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, until it has wilted. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 45 to 60 seconds, until it is fragrant.

Place half of the sliced squash in the prepared gratin dish; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the nutmeg, allspice and thyme in a small bowl.

Place the kale over the squash and sprinkle with half of the nutmeg-thyme mixture. Top with the remaining squash and sprinkle with the remaining nutmeg-thyme mixture.

Pour the cream over the vegetables; cover the gratin dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender.

While the vegetables are baking, combine the panko bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in a small bowl.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Discard the foil from the gratin dish and use a spatula to press down on the mixture. (Press hard, so the cream rises over the vegetables.) Sprinkle the bread crumb-cheese mixture over the vegetables. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
About Kale:

It's best to buy kale just before you are going to use it, because it tends to get flabby and bitter after a few days' refrigeration. Store it in an open plastic bag in the coldest part of the fridge.

Source: "Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables," by Elizabeth Schneider (William Morrow, 1986).

Photos by Sheila Lennon
Pecan Pie

Mama's Pecan Pie, also from the Post, makes two pies, and we needed both -- some had seconds, and everybody wanted a piece to take home. Easy, outstanding because it's packed with pecans. My daughter, who made the pies, reports that this is the recipe on the Karo syrup bottle with twice the pecans. Perfect.

Chef Virginia Willis says too many pecan pies are mostly goo without enough pecans, making them far too sweet. The secret to the success of this pie is that its pecan-to-goo ratio is just right.

Mama's Pecan Pie

3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 cups (two 6-ounce packages) pecan halves, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl, stirring until mixed well. Add the pecans, stirring to incorporate. Divide the filling evenly between two chilled pie shells.

Place the pies on a large baking sheet and bake, rotating once, for about 55 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pies to a wire rack to cool before serving or storing.

Adapted from Willis's "Bon Appetit, Y'all" (Ten Speed Press, 2008).

Any pie crust will do, or perhaps none. Ours (frozen, store-bought) was overbrowned, didn't matter. This is all about pecans.

Our aggressive oven left nothing underdone, but there were no disasters and many dishes were more excellent than usual. The salted turkey was moist and not salty, the gravy -- made in the roasting pan from drippings and flour, and chicken stock in which turkey gizzards simmered all day -- was perfect, needing no rescuing this year by canned gravy or bouillon cubes.

We never did make the cheese balls -- just put out cheese and crackers. One of the guests brought an appetizer of dried apricots wrapped in bacon. He wraps each in a third of a slice of bacon and bakes them in the oven, securing them with toothpicks. These were new to me, and they're delicious.

Here's Joe giving the potato-peeling 11-year-old lessons from long-ago k.p.:

 Tags  kale pecan pie recipe Sheila's photos squash Thanksgiving dinner vegetables

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2 Comments

penny said:

Always love reading your column and great receipes.

Link | December 1, 2008 5:24 PM
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Sheila Lennon said:

Thank you, penny.

Link | December 1, 2008 11:26 PM
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