Red Kuri Squash Blue Cheese Gratin
This Red Kuri Squash Blue Cheese Gratin is a simple and utterly comforting dish, making do with “Potimarron” (red kuri squash): a star of French market stalls during the Fall and Winter months. This gratin features layers of tender and sweet squash, tangy blue cheese with crème fraiche, walnuts and pumpkin seeds for extra crunch. This is a great dish for vegetarians, or a festive side dish to serve alongside meat or fish during gatherings – especially perfect for a unique Thanksgiving side! What is a Red Kuri Squash? Red…
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1lb (450g) Red Kuri squash
- 2 tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, unsalted
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced in 1/2 rounds
- 1 1/2 cup (200g) blue cheese, crumbled, not packed
- 1/2 cup (55g) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2/3 cup (200g) crème fraiche (35-40%MF)
- 2 tbsp (15g) pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.
- 2
Step 1 - Wash the squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds inside and slice it into 0.5 inches (1,3 cm) thick slices.
- 3
Step 2 - In a large frying pan, heat up the extra virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the squash slices and cook for about 15 minutes, with lid on and stirring occasionally, until the squash is just tender – not mushy. Be gentle when you stir the squash, especially towards the end, so you don’t break or mush the slices. Add black pepper and turn off heat.
- 4
Step 3 - Add the blue cheese, crème fraiche and a crack of pepper in a bowl, and stir.
- 5
Step 4 - In a baking dish, spread out half of the squash and onion slices, and cover evenly with half of the blue cheese cream. Sprinkle with half of the chopped walnuts and half of the pumpkin seeds. Repeat the same steps with the other half of the ingredients, finishing with a sprinkle of black pepper.
- 6
Step 5 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden.