Description
Apples and sweet root vegetables cooked in a cider-spiked creamy bechamel sauce and topped with cheese breadcrumbs: The comfort-food way to eat your winter veggies.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds turnips, rutabagas, parsnips carrots or combination, peeled, diced in 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large apples (unpeeled) cored, diced in 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1 small sweet or yellow onion, sliced in very thin rings
- Bechamel:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 large fresh thyme sprig (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Topping:
- 1 1/2 pieces whole wheat sandwich bread, toasted then crumbled
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1/3 cup walnut pieces, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup grated white sharp Cheddar cheese, I used Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine turnips (and optional other veggies), apples, cider, onion and 1 cup water in a large saucepan. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and reduce heat to simmer until turnips are tender-crisp, about 15 minutes.
- Set a colander over a large measuring cup. Drain the turnip-apple mixture, reserving cooking liquid. Transfer the turnip mixture to the baking dish.
- For the bechamel, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute more. Stir in apple cider vinegar; whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved cider in 1/2 cup increments, whisking after each addition. When all the cider is incorporated, use your fingers to strip most of the thyme leaves from sprig; add the thyme leaves set aside sprig. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the turnips and apples in the baking dish, stirring the mixture to make sure the sauce is evenly distributed. Nestle thyme sprig in middle of dish.
- In a medium bowl, toss together breadcrumbs, butter, walnuts and Cheddar. Scatter mixture over the top of the turnip-apple mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, until the topping is browned and the turnip mixture is bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from Cider-braised turnip and apple gratin via the Chicago Tribune