Salsify Gratin
4 servings
60 minutes
Gratin of salsify is an exquisite dish of European cuisine that combines the tender texture of vegetables with a rich creamy sauce and a crispy crust. Salsify, also known as scorzonera, has a slightly nutty flavor that pairs wonderfully with white wine and cream. The history of gratin originates in France, where cheese casseroles became popular among gourmets. This version of the dish features a harmonious blend of salsify and cabbage cooked until tender, covered with a fragrant sauce and baked under a golden crust of cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs. It is perfect as a standalone dish or as a side to meat, adding depth of flavor and elegance to the meal.
1
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, grease a gratin dish (about 26 cm long) with oil.
- Butter: 50 g
2
Cut the goat beard into sticks 4 cm long, 1 cm wide and thick, and immediately immerse them in water with lemon juice. Then drain the water, transfer the sticks to a saucepan, add wine and broth, heat over medium heat to a gentle boil, and cook for another five minutes.
- Salsify: 850 g
- Lemon: 1 piece
- Dry white wine: 150 ml
- Vegetable broth: 1 l
3
Chop the cabbage, pour about two centimeters of water into a large pan, and steam the cabbage for three minutes.
- Cabbage leaves: 60 g
4
Remove the goat beard from the pan, reduce the broth by half, gradually add a mixture of flour and 35 grams of butter to it — stir the sauce until it reaches the consistency of thick cream. Then mix in 48% cream, remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Wheat flour: 25 g
- Butter: 50 g
- Cream 48%: 150 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
5
Place the goat beard and cabbage in a gratin dish, pour with sauce, sprinkle with a mixture of grated cheese and coarse wheat crumbs, and bake in the oven for twenty minutes.
- Salsify: 850 g
- Cabbage leaves: 60 g
- Cheddar cheese: 75 g
- Crushed breadcrumbs: 50 g