Veggie au gratin

The veggie au gratin or as we call it, the baked vegetable, is a lovely continental addition to a dinner spread. It can be eaten as a meal in itself with some garlic bread and a soup or as an interesting supplement to a main course. It is best compiled with seasonal winter veggies, and the rich creamy cheese sauce makes it finger-lickin-good!

My mom used to make this when I was little, and ever since it’s been comfort food for me. The original recipe is hers, but my little twist to it is the addition of the Worcestershire sauce. I developed a natural liking for Worcestershire sauce during my student days in the UK; and I always have a bottle of it on my kitchen rack. I use it in soups, casseroles, dips, bakes, rolls etc. It has a distinctive taste which adds a nice body of flavour to the au gratin; and keeps your guests guessing why their au gratins never taste as good as yours!

Serves: 4-6 (depends on portion size)
Prep time: 30min
Cooking time: 40min (includes oven time of 10min)
Cooking bowl: Ovenproof bowl for baking


Ingredients
For the cream sauce
1tbsp butter
1½ tbsp plain flour
400-500ml milk
2-3tbsp fresh cream
Grated processed cheese, 1 cube
Tabasco sauce
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Nutmeg powder
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt to taste

For the veggies
1tbsp olive oil
Roasted garlic paste (read bench note below for details)
¼ cauliflower made into medium size florets
½ broccoli made into medium size florets
1 carrot cubed
½ red bell pepper cubed
½ green bell pepper cubed
½ yellow bell pepper cubed
50g baby corn slit centre-wise
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Red chilli flakes

For garnish before baking
1 large onion cut into rings (read bench note below for details)
Grated processed cheese, 1 cube

For serving
Fresh flat leaf parsley
Garlic bread




Method
For the cream sauce
For the sauce, heat butter in a non-stick saucepan. Add flour and roast until golden brown on a low flame. Remove from heat, and allow it to cool completely. Add 2‑3tbsp milk to the cooled flour and mix thoroughly dissolving any lumps. Add rest of the milk to the pan and simmer for 5-6 min, stirring continuously till the sauce thickens. Season with salt and ground black pepper; add the grated processed cheese, fresh cream and a sprig of fresh thyme. Add a pinch of nutmeg powder and a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Keep aside.

For the veggies
Preheat oven to 180°C.

Heat olive oil and some butter in a non-stick saucepan. Add the roasted garlic and sauté for a minute. Add cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and baby corn. Sauté the veggies for 2‑3min. Add a pinch of salt to the veggies, cover with a lid and allow the veggies to cook ¾ths. Add the bell peppers at this stage and stir well. Season with ground black pepper, red chilli flakes and some more salt if necessary. Add the Worcestershire sauce, and some fresh thyme. Do not overcook the veggies as the au gratin will further bake in the oven. Add the cream sauce to the veggies and stir till all the elements are combined.

Transfer the au gratin into an ovenproof bowl. Garnish with onion rings and generously coat with grated cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10-15min till the top surface browns and the cheese melts.

Garnish with some fresh flat leaf parsley and serve hot.

Bench notes
Roasted garlic: Take a whole garlic pod (do not peel); smear it with a mixture of olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, and some fresh thyme. Roast in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 or until browned and soft from within. Remove peel and crush with the back of a spoon to make a rough paste.

Onion rings: Peel a whole onion, cut into thin slices. Place the slices in a bowl of ice cold water. Open up the slices gently with your fingertips allowing the rings to separate. Retain in ice cold water until use (keeps the onions crunchy and fresh).