We’re lucky in the summer because not only do we have a CSA, my husband’s father has a big vegetable garden too and he likes to share his bounty. On Thursday he gave us a bag of tomatoes and summer squash that were perfectly ripe. But by Friday night when I went to use some of the tomatoes they were really ripe – and I knew that I needed to use them or lose them.
And no one wants to lose beautiful cherry tomatoes.
So I decided to make a quick vegetable gratin with a crunchy, cheesy topping. The tomatoes and squash were bright and flavorful, the sharp cheddar cheese topping made it into every bite, and the wine created a delicious sauce.
Squash and Tomato Gratin
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced
- ½ large yellow squash, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- ¼ cup of flour, divided
- ½ cup of chicken broth
- ½ cup of dry white wine
- ½ cup of cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon of melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup of panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese (I used Cabot’s Seriously Sharp)
- 3 sprigs of thyme, stripped from the stalk
Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a casserole dish, and layer the squash, tomatoes, onions, and top with a very thin layer of flour. Repeat until you’ve used all of the vegetables. Pour the chicken broth and wine over the gratin. In a small bowl mix the panko, butter and cheese. Gently spread the panko mixture on the top. Bake covered in the oven for 25 minutes, then remove the cover and let brown for another 15 minutes.
Serves 4.
So fellow Crasstalkers, if you have electricity what are you making this Sunday? Or if you don’t have electricity tell us how your cooking on a grill or by candlelight.
