Clean Out The Fridge Vegetable Gratin

   

  

Getting close to the end of the week here . . . time to clear out the fridge and get use out of what's there.  Those are my favourite kinds of meals, and thankfully the weather has turned a bit now so I could make this delicious gratin!    

  

I love gratins . . . they are so adaptable.  You can fling just about everything in, cover it with flavoured cream and cheese and bang it under the grill and have a tasty meal at the end of it all.  

Today I used a few carrots,  half a cauliflower, a few baby new potatoes, what was left of a bag of haricot verts beans . . . and a few spring onions I found in the bottom of the drawer, needing to be used up before they went all manky . . .   which seems to happen almost overnight these days . . .

I also had some cream which needed using and a nice chunk of that kick ass onion and garlic cheddar from last weekend's ploughman's lunch that I made for Todd.  It made an excellent topping for this, along with some buttered crumbs created from a stale piece of bread . . .   

It was so simple to make as well.  I cooked the vegetables first in some lightly salted water.   Softened the onions in a bit of butter, drained the veg and stirred the whole thing together and them banged it into a gratin dish . . .   

A light napping of cream, scattered with lashings of grated cheese and buttered crumbs, a quick bake in a hot oven and Bob's Your Uncle!   Dinner is served!!  Delicious with a few slices of brown bread and some frizzled leftover gammon.

   

*Clear the Fridge Vegetable Gratin*
Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

Believe it or not, this was delicious,  quick and easy and used up all the bits and bobs left in the fridge at the end of the week!   You can't complain about any of that! 

3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

9 small new potatoes, unpeeled, washed

1/2 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

a large handful of french beans (haricot verts)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

about 6 spring onions, chopped
a knob of butter

several large  handfuls of grated well flavoured cheese (I used kick ass onion and garlic cheddar)

225ml of single cream (1 cup) mixed with 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard

buttered soft white bread crumbs  

  

Bring a large lightly salted pan of water to the boil.  Add the potatoes.  Cook for about 8 minutes, drop in the carrots.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Drop in the green beans and cauliflower and cook for five minutes longer.  By then all your vegetables should be fork tender and the beans still nice and green.  Drain well.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/ 375*F/ gas mark 5.

Add a knob of butter to the pan.  Add the spring onions and cook, stirring to soften.  Stir in the drained vegetables and season with some salt and black pepper to taste.  Pour this mixture into a shallow gratin dish.  Drizzle the cream over top.  You may not need it all.  Just use enough to barely cover the vegetables.  Scatter the cheese over top and sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Note - You can use whatever vegetables you want.  This is just what I happened to have in the bottom of my vegetable drawer.  Cabbage, swede, parsnips, broccoli, flat beans, etc.   All work very well.