Spring into action with a quickfire cheesy gratin with white beans and vegetables A molten, crunchy-topped gratin full of tender, verdant greens is sure to elicit a few “oohs” and “aahs” at the table.
INGREDIENTS Serves 6
For the cheesy mustard sauce
40g unsalted butter
40g plain flour
500ml whole milk
100g extra-mature cheddar, grated
1 heaped tablespoon wholegrain mustard
100ml white wine
Sea salt and black pepper
For the gratin
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, cleaned, then white and green parts sliced into 1cm rounds
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
100g spinach
100g frozen broad beans
50g frozen peas
250g jarred artichoke hearts (drained weight), cut into quarters
600g jar cannellini beans, drained
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
75g soft white breadcrumbs
30g almonds, roughly chopped
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on a medium-low heat. Once it’s bubbling, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, then cook, stirring regularly, for five to seven minutes, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Stir in the cheese, mustard and white wine, and season to taste.
Put half the oil in a large, shallow casserole or 30cm ovenproof frying pan on a medium-high heat, then add the leeks and a half-teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring often, for five to seven minutes, until softened and just starting to colour in places. Stir in the garlic and saute for a minute, until fragrant.
Add the spinach, broad beans and peas, cover the pot and leave to cook for two minutes, until the spinach wilts. Add the artichokes, cannellini beans, cheesy sauce and mint, stir to combine, then take off the heat.
In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and almonds with the remaining oil. Scatter this all over the top of the cheesy vegetable mix, then cover and slide on to the middle shelf of the hot oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Lift off the lid, then bake for 15 minutes more, until the top is browned and the gratin is bubbling.
Remove and leave to cool for five minutes before serving
Original Recipe Anna Shepherd writing in the Guardian
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