Squash and sweet potato gratin

The air is heavy with the smell of wintry weather making its way little by little… where has the summer gone? I don’t know if I am ready to welcome the cold weather, the shorter days, the gloomy clouds, and the crispy mornings!! Ahhh! I feel I’m getting a little bit nostalgic around this time. I mean, I love the change of season, the way the air becomes a little bit (just a little bit) chilly, the changing of the leaves… and above all the abundance of fall squashes at the market.

I know I will definitely miss the daylight here in Paris, cause winter is much too long comparing to Lebanon, but I'd better enjoy the sun while it’s out there now and think of just snuggling up rather than not sleeping at night due to swampy, sweaty summery nights! Yes, I should be positive! But to be honest, I do really love wintry weather, I love the hearty meals, the hot soups, the lovely fall scenery, the crackle of the colorful leaves beneath my feet…

Well, with the days getting cooler, I could see my appetite growing with the bounty of autumn treats that fills the farmers’ markets. So today, I greet the arrival of fall with mixed emotions and with this squash and sweet potato gratin! 

Ingredients (serves 4):
14 oz (400 g) butternut squash
14 oz (400g) sweet potatoes
1 onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp sweet paprika
pinch of nutmeg
3 oz (80 g) gruyère, shredded
3 sprig of parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven at 350ºF (180ºC).

Butter a baking dish, round or square.

Peel the squash and sweet potatoes then cut them into chunks.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the onion, add the paprika.

Add the squash and sweet potatoes and saute 10 mn, stirring frequently. They should stay firm. Season with salt and pepper and transfer into the baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, cream and nutmeg. Add half the cheese. Pour over the squash and sweet potatoes.

Top with remaining cheese and chopped parsley. Bake 35 mn then brown under the broiler for 5 mn.

Gratin de patates douces et courges

Ingrédients (4 personnes):
400 g de courges (butternut, potiron...)
400 g de patates douces
1 oignon, émincé
2 càs d'huile d'olive
2 œufs
20 cl de crème fleurette
20 g de beurre
½ càc de paprika doux
1 pincée de muscade
80 g de gruyère râpé
3 brins de persil, ciselé
sel et poivre

Préchauffez le four à 180ºC.

Beurrez un plat à gratin.

Pelez la courge et les patates douces et coupez-les en morceaux.

Faites chauffer l'huile d'olive dans un faitout et faites revenir l'oignon, saupoudrez de paprika.

Ajoutez les morceaux de courge et de patates douces et faites cuire pendant 10 mn, en mélangeant de temps en temps. Ils doivent rester fermes. Salez et poivrez. Transférez dans le plat à gratin.

Battez les œufs, la crème et une pincée de muscade dans un bol. Ajoutez la moitié du fromage. Versez le mélange sur les légumes dans le plat.

Parsemez du reste de fromage et du persil ciselé. Enfournez 35 mn environ, puis faites gratiner sous le gril 5 mn.

Adapted from: Saveurs