Rootin’ no tootin’ Gratin

Vegetables Grown in the Santa Cruz area make for a great lunch today

oh my goodness! I just ate one of the best things I have made in a very long time. I have been working very hard lately at cleaning up my already pretty clean diet. I am doing this by making sure I get enough seasonal vegetables, and that I get enough “good” fats that I am not tempted by the “bad” ones. This root vegetable gratin satisfies both of those requirements as well as the need for creative deliciousness. Good for both the cook and the eater!

Ever since those darn hippies emerged in the 60’s and began to ask for  healthier food that comes straight from the land, raw milk products have been controversial.  Personally, I have been using raw cream several times a week for the last 6 months. “Regular” milk and cheese cause me much phlegm, not so the raw cream,it being much easier to digest.  I often have a cup of ginger tea with the cream in the evening and it has become a satisfying “dessert”.  Yes, it is expensive but that is because Big Agra keeps it that way.

I have written before about root vegetables and their nutritional values. They are available in the farmers’ markets this time of year and through the winter.

If you are a regular reader ( and if you are not, why not??) you followed my Pantry Challenge progress. In cleaning out my cupboard, I found many unopened packages of various kinds of seaweed. This is another vegetable I have been adding into my diet, though somewhat haphazardly, as evidenced by the products in the cupboard. I wanted to bring in this salty as well as nutritious element into this dish.

Root Vegetable Gratin

serves 4

1 large turnip, 1/2 in. slices ( I didn’t bother to peel it)

1 medium celery root, 1/2 in. slices ( this, I peeled!)

1 medium burdock root, peeled and cut into 1/2 in pieces

2 large carrots, cut on the diagonal in 1/2 in slices

1/2c. dulse

1 c. raw cream

1/4c. raw tahini

1 T herbes de provence 

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2c. grated parmesan cheese

I blanched the vegetables, cooking them in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain. Use the olive oil to coat the bottom of a 9×9 baking pan. Layer the vegetables in the dish. In a small saucepan, heat the cream , tahini, and herbes, letting it simmer and thicken for a few minutes. Pour the sauce over the vegetables. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 15 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the cheese is browned.

I didn’t use any salt because both the cheese and the dulse are salty. You could certainly add pepper and/or other herbs of your choice. So, don’t be afraid of raw milk products, and don’t be afraid of sea vegetables!