This golden courgette gratin with pesto beautifully showcases late summer vegetables with a gourmet touch from a renowned Michelin-starred chef

A particularly delicious and comforting autumn recipe shared by chef Stéphanie Le Quellec

The iconic winner of Top Chef now delights over four hundred thousand followers with her creations. In fact, this two-Michelin-starred chef here elevates garden vegetables in a golden oven-baked dish. The warm aroma of rosemary already fills your kitchen before you even taste it.

Indeed, the arrival of autumn invites us to share a meal around a large, warm, and family-friendly table. You'll discover a melt-in-your-mouth texture beneath an irresistible gratinéed crust. Each bite reveals herbaceous aromas that instantly warm the hearts of delighted guests.

A basket of fresh and essential ingredients to delight four guests with this cheese recipe

Choose firm vegetables to ensure they hold their shape during cooking. Also, opt for freshly grated cheeses for an incomparable melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Follow the chef's instructions carefully to perfect this recipe. Each culinary step will naturally enhance your fresh ingredients.

• Turn the oven on to 180°C using the fan setting to ensure even cooking.
• Peel the potatoes, then cut the flesh into even pieces.
• Cook these pieces for fifteen minutes in a saucepan of boiling water until they reach a firm texture.
• Using a paring knife, thinly slice all the courgettes into even rounds.
• Bring the stock to a boil with the crushed garlic, rosemary, salt and three tablespoons of oil.
• Poach the courgettes for five minutes in this very aromatic boiling liquid.
• Next, add the pre-cooked potatoes and continue cooking until all the broth has evaporated.
• Remove the whole herbs, then roughly mash the vegetables with a fork without forming a puree.
• Vigorously pound the two garlic cloves with the parsley, basil and remaining oil in a mortar.
• Incorporate this very fragrant herbaceous pesto, the lemon zest, the parmesan and half of the Emmental.
• Pour the mixture into an oven dish, then cover the surface with the remaining grated Emmental cheese.
• Bake for fifteen minutes in the middle of the oven, then brown for a few moments under the grill to caramelize the top.

The cheese then forms a golden, crispy film that traps all the moisture from the dish. Moreover, the texture remains wonderfully creamy beneath this beautiful crust.

All the chef's tips for varying the vegetables from the garden and keeping this tasty gratin chilled

The chef favors the flavorful fiddlehead zucchini for its firm, velvety flesh. However, yellow or gray varieties work just as well in this recipe. You can also try eggplant slices or pumpkin cubes, simply adjusting the cooking method.

To delight your guests the next day, simply place your dish under a preheated oven. This method preserves a melt-in-your-mouth texture without drying it out. Furthermore, airtight storage in the refrigerator will maintain its flavor for forty-eight hours without altering its aroma.

The magical moment of tasting between the crispness of the golden cheese and the tenderness of the warm vegetables

Serve this gratin piping hot straight from the oven to fully appreciate its striking temperature contrast. At this moment, the crust releases an enticing aroma of toasted Parmesan. Beneath this golden exterior, the zucchini reveals a silky texture infused with fresh basil.

Accompany this generous plate with a crisp arugula salad dressed with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. The freshness of the green leaves perfectly balances the creamy richness of the Emmental cheese. A touch of cracked pepper on the cheese adds a final flourish.