Parsnip, potato and lima bean gratin with carrot-flax crust

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Salt and black pepper; as needed
10 ounces Red potatoes; rinsed
2 Parsnips; trimmed and peeled
8 ounces Fordhook lima beans; still frozen
4 Sprigs fresh thyme; divided use
½ cup Chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon Olive oil
4 ounces Baby bok choy; finely chopped
3 ounces Fat-free evaporated milk
2 ounces Baby Swiss cheese (lowfat); diced or grated
2 tablespoons Water
1 slice Multi-grain seeded bread; crumbed
1 Carrot; finely shredded
1 tablespoon Ground flax seed; optional

Directions

STEAM AND COOL

SKILLET HASH

CRUMB TOPPING

ABOUT THE BREAD: Oroweat's "Winter Wheat" is a variety bread: cracked wheat, sunflower seeds, added gluten, walnuts, barley, rye, millet, oats, brown rice, flaxseed and other ingredients. Make soft bread crumbs in a food processor. EQUIPMENT: steamer, an ovenproof skillet or casserole, preheated oven 375F.

1. PRECOOK THE VEGETABLES: Cut the potatoes and parsnips into ½- inch cubes. Put the vegetables into a steamer's basket. Toss to mix; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top with the limas. Lay 3 fresh thyme springs on top. Cover and steam for 25 minutes. (Note: Steaming the lima beans this long makes them shrink slightly and deepens their earthy flavor.) Cool completely (30 minutes or longer).

2. STOVE-TOP HASH: Heat a nonstick oven-proof skillet until medium-hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Saute the onion with a pinch each of salt and pepper. After about 4 minutes, add the chopped boy choy and continue to saute for up to 5 minutes, or until the boy choy is soft but still bright green.

3. Add the steamed vegetables to the skillet. Season with additional pepper. Stir to combine. Press the hash down firmly and evenly in the pan and cook, shaking occasionally, until the hash is lightly browned on the bottom, 5 minutes.

4. Drizzle in half the milk and allow to bubble and brown slightly (less than 1 minute).

5. Stir to redistribute the browned bottom crust and the slightly caramelized milk. Turn off the heat. Add half the cheese and leaves from the remaining sprig of thyme. Stir to combine. Press the hash down firmly.

Pour on the rest of the milk and add up to 2 tablespoons of water. Swirl the pan to distribute. Top with the remaining cheese.

6. Combine bread crumbs, carrots and flax seed (if using); season with pepper. Spread the crumb mixture to cover the top. Place in a PREHEATED 375F OVEN for 25 minutes or until slightly crusty and dry. Check at 20 minutes: when the sauce is not longer visibly bubbling, it's dry enough. We are looking for a sauce not a gravy.

7. Remove from the oven; let stand a minute then cut into portions. Serves up to 4 people as a vegetarian entree with soup or salad side dish. Serve as a side dish.

Serves 4: EACH: 257 cals, 13%cff, (4g fat), 44g carbs, (9g fiber), 14g protein; 183mg sodium. Vitamins A and C.

VARIATIONS: Instead of bok choy, substitute napa cabbage, kolhrabi, broccoli stalks, Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, celery, or fennel bulb.

Other beans may be used. Must have potatoes and beans to complete a protein.

Gratins or casseroles are simple dishes that can be made ahead and baked just before serving. That makes them good choices for entertaining, using up leftovers and for once-a-week cooking.

Recipe adapted from Parsnip, Potato and Lima Bean Hash in the Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook (1998: Time-Life).

NOTES : This is a simple mixture of root vegetables and beans that are precooked then browned on the stove top. We then make a rich- tasting but light sauce by caramelizing a small amount of evaporated milk, adding Swiss cheese and a little water. The dish is topped with a bread and carrot crumb-crust and finished in the oven. Tested 2/99 Pat Hanneman (kitpath@...) We used pepper generously.

Recipe by: adapted from Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook Posted to EAT-LF Digest by PatHanneman <kitpath@...> on Feb 16, 1999, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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