<\/a><\/p>\nFaced with an abundance of zucchini? This Summer Vegetable Gratin is a deliciously healthy dish for Summer’s bounty!<\/p>\n
Thanks to my friend Diane, I went to see a movie and came home with a cornucopia of fresh, organic produce. Diane, a Master Gardener who specializes in edible gardens, had been to a garden swap and brought two huge baskets full of veggies, including some unique varieties of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc. with names I don\u2019t remember, and encouraged us to take whatever we wanted. It was a veritable farmers market in the Regal Cinema’s parking lot!<\/p>\n
Now, with a huge bowl of veggies from Diane and my garden on my kitchen counter, I set to thumbing through my cookbooks and the gorgeous two-page photo spread of the mise-en-place for Summer Vegetable Gratin in Thomas Keller\u2019s Ad Hoc At Home<\/em><\/strong> caught my eye. Here tomatoes, squash, and eggplant are layered on cooked onions and baked with a cheese and bread crumb topping. I actually sliced an eggplant but didn\u2019t use it because my baking dish was smaller than the 9×13 suggested.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe recipe states that this is a good dish to assemble ahead and then bake before serving. Hurrying to get this in the oven after baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies (priorities!!) I forgot to sprinkle the fresh breadcrumbs on top. Not to worry, this didn\u2019t stop us from devouring every bit of this gratin down to the delicious vegetable juices in the bottom of the baking dish. Light in comparison to most gratins, this dish makes an excellent side to any protein or a satisfying meatless main with a side of quinoa, brown rice or a slice of hearty whole grain bread.<\/p>\n