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Casseroles Produce Uncategorized

Gratin Dauphinois of Potatoes, Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes) and Leeks

    Gratin of Potatoes, Jerusalem Artichokes and Leeks
    Gratin of Potatoes, Jerusalem Artichokes and Leeks

    When a friend of mine told me she had a bumper crop of Jerusalem Artichokes in her backyard, I saw an opportunity to try yet another overlooked, underappreciated vegetable.

    I had never heard of Jerusalem Artichokes (now often called Sunchokes), though once she dropped them off, I recognized them from that isle in the produce department devoted to intimidating root vegetables. Jerusalem Artichokes are not actually a kind of artichoke though they are in the artichoke family. They are a kind of sunflower and are native to North America. They were grown by Native Americans before Samuel de Champlain discovered them and brought them back to France in the early 1600’s.

    Jerusalem Artichokes
    Jerusalem Artichokes

    When picking sunchokes, look for ones that are firm to the touch and plump. They should be crispy when you slice them raw. As sunchokes sit around, they get mushy.

    I figured the best way to cook this unfamiliar root vegetable would be to add it to a Gratin Dauphinois. I used the Gratin Dauphinois in Jacques Pépin’s book as the basis for my recipe.

    Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook
    Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook

    I adapted the recipe by adding the sunchokes, the leeks and the nutmeg. Also, I made a few substitutions based on what I had on hand in my kitchen. For example, I didn’t have Gruyère cheese, nor did I have half and half or heavy cream, so I substituted 4-year aged cheddar for the Gruyère and 2% milk for the half and half. It came out great, so you should feel confident making these kinds of substitutions in a pinch.

      Categories
      Appetizers Pizza and Pasta Uncategorized

      Eggplant and Mushroom Pizza with Yummy, Crispy Crust

        Eggplant and Mushroom Pizza
        Eggplant and Mushroom Pizza

        Thanks to Jessie from The Hungry Mouse and Reeni of CinnamonSpiceAndEverythingNice, I was able to solve the problems I encountered when I tried to make Homemade Eggplant Pizza the first time. See that post here.

        When I made pizza the last time, the crust never fully baked and therefore the pizza was soggy and the dough was downright raw in the middle.

        They recommended that I prebake the pizza crust just a little and they also recommended that I cook the pizza for longer than 12 minutes – more like 18 – 22 minutes in a very hot oven. I particularly liked Reeni’s advice to preheat the oven to 500˚F and then turn it back to 450˚F once I put the pizza in the oven. My oven tends to trend a little low anyway and opening the door always knocks the temperature down, so preheating a little high was a great idea.

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