Harvest Gratin

Green cabbage, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Winter squash, Carrots, any or all

Begin with a small saucepan:

• 2 cups of whole milk with 5-12 leaves of fresh sage

Let it simmer on the back burner allowing ample time for the sage to infuse the milk while you prepare the vegetables.

In a large saute pan:

• Dice and saute one medium onion in
•  ½ cube of melted butter.  Gently cook the onion over med-low heat on another back burner until very tender.  Do not brown the onion. Be patient, this could take 15 min.

Prepare and Cook the Vegetables

In a large pot full of water:

• bring to a boil and add 2 tsp of salt
• If you’re using carrots add the diced carrots into the boiling water first.
• 2 minutes after the carrots add 1 med. size green cabbage (about 4 lbs)-cored & shredded (½ inch shred)

Cook the cabbage for 4 minutes.

Drain the cooked veggies and place them in a 9x13 baking pan.  (The water is a good starting point for soup so don't necessarily pour it down the drain)

Option:

• If you want to include one winter squash, peel, seed and dice it into ½" cubes.  You should end up with about 4 -5 cups of cubed squash.  Steam the cubed squash for 5 minutes so they're partially cooked before folding into the cabbage and sauce.

Bring the onion sauté pan forward and prepare the Béchamel

In a small bowl measure out and mix together:

• ¼ cup white flour
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (more if you’re a fan of nutmeg)
• 1/8 tsp. chipotle pepper if you like a little spice in your béchamel

Once the onion is soft and smells sweet add the dry ingredients listed above.

Cook on med. heat and stir for about 5 min. until the flour mixture starts to look golden but NOT dark brown.

Stirring constantly with a wire whisk slowly add:

• 2 cups of the sage-infused whole milk

Cook until the white sauce (béchamel) thickens-stirring constantly.

Add to the thickened Béchamel

• 1 cup shredded swiss cheese

Pour the cheese sauce over the awaiting veggies already in the 9x13 pan.

Stir together.

Add bread crumbs if you like.

Cover and bake for 35 minutes at 400°.

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