Butternut squash gratin with Comté cheese: a meltingly tender and generous regional recipe
4 pers.
- 1 kg Pumpkin
- 180g grated Comté cheese
- 25 cl Liquid cream
- 10 cl Milk
- 1 clove of garlic
- 20 g Butter
- 1 good pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tsp thyme
- Cell
- Pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Wash the butternut squash thoroughly and cut it in half. Remove the seeds and fibers before slicing the flesh, skin and all, into thin slices or small, even cubes. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes in a large pot of lightly salted water. The squash should begin to soften but still retain some firmness. Drain well.
- Peel the garlic clove and rub it inside a gratin dish. Generously butter the bottom and sides of the dish. Arrange a layer of butternut squash, then season lightly with salt and pepper and add a pinch of nutmeg. Sprinkle with a little thyme and a handful of grated Comté cheese. Repeat the layers until all the butternut squash is used.
- Mix the cream and milk in a bowl. Season with pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Gradually pour the mixture into the dish, allowing it to seep between the pieces of butternut squash. Distribute the remaining Comté cheese evenly over the surface. Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. The cheese should be melted, golden brown, and slightly crispy in places.
- Check the pumpkin for doneness with the tip of a knife. When it's perfectly tender, remove the gratin from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving so the creamy sauce can thicken slightly. Serve it piping hot with a green salad or roast meat. Optionally, add a few fresh thyme leaves just before serving.
Butternut squash and Comté cheese: a combination that evokes the warmth of hearty, seasonal recipes. The squash's sweetness meets the cheese's fruity character in a meltingly soft, creamy, and beautifully golden gratin. A true regional dish, just the way we like them, simple to prepare and perfect for warming up a gathering.
In this butternut squash and Comté cheese gratin, the squash is pre-cooked for a few minutes to achieve a perfectly tender texture. A touch of cream, a hint of nutmeg, and a generous layer of cheese then complete the dish. Serve it as a main course with a salad or as a side dish with roast meat. Between the golden-brown top and the meltingly soft center, every spoonful is sure to impress. The hardest part? Waiting a few minutes before serving!
