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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 120 Minutes |
Ready In: 120 Minutes Servings: 12 |
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I learned this recipe from Chef François Dionot. If you're serving this delicious side dish to people who claim they don't like turnips, lie and tell them it's made from potatoes. You can tell them the truth later, after they've told you how much they enjoyed it. Ingredients:
12 turnips (small, firm) |
2 tbsp unsalted butter |
2 cups heavy cream |
4 eggs |
2 egg yolks |
kosher salt and pepper |
1 cup parmesan cheese |
nutmeg (optional) |
1 tbsp garlic paste |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 250º F.
2. Butter a 12 X 8 gratin dish
3. Whisk the cream, eggs, egg yolks, and garlic with a dash of salt and pepper.
4. If you like, grate a bit of nutmeg into the mixture. Use nutmeg sparingly in this dish, if you use it at all.
5. Peel the turnips and slice them as thinly as possible. To get the thinnest slices, use a mandolin (which is expensive) or a very sharp knife (if you use a good quality chef’s knife, this can also be expensive). You’re looking for slices so thin you can see light through them. The process is going to take you about half an hour, so be prepared.
6. Spread a layer of turnip slices on the bottom of the gratin dish. You can overlap the slices, but don’t pile them on top of one another.
7. Spread some of the cream mixture on top of the layer of slices. Don’t overdo it! A little bit of cream mixture goes a long way. You’re looking for a thin layer of cream and eggs – spread it over the slices with your fingertips (you’re supposed to get your hands messy with this dish).
8. Sprinkle a layer of grated fresh parmesan over the cream/egg layer.
9. Repeat the process four or five more times until you have used up all of the ingredients.
10. Bake for about 2-21/2 hours, until the top is golden brown.
11. Slice into squares and serve as a side dish.
12. Note: To make garlic paste, finely mince two garlic cloves, sprinkle a bit of kosher salt (or any other salt with large crystals – table salt doesn’t work with this process – in fact, table salt is a terrible thing to use in ANY recipe), and drag the edge of your knife blade across the minced cloves (holding your knife at about a 15 or 20 degree angle to the surface of your cutting board). The salt acts as a kind of abrasive (like sandpaper). Do this three or four times, and your garlic will start to look like paste.
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