Food Thursday: Zucchini Gratin

I had some zucchini in the house (not a surprise this time of year) and was looking to do something different with it. We usually grill it or sometimes I make zucchini chips. But this week I was interested in trying something that I rarely do with vegetables – I wanted to do something involving cheese and a crunchy topping. I don’t know what got into me because I am a pretty strict steamer when it comes to vegetables – slightly crisp, tossed with a touch of butter, salt & pepper. Let the flavor shine through is my mantra when it comes to veggies.

While this recipe is completely different than my norm, it is equally delicious in its creamy, crunchy goodness.

Zucchini Gratin
4 TB butter, plus 1 TB for topping at the end
1/2 red onion, diced
2 medium size zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick and then into half moons
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 TB flour
3/4 cup milk
1 5oz container of Boursin cheese
1 cup of grated swiss cheese
1 cup of panko bread crumbs

– Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray an 8×10 baking dish with cooking spray.

1. In a large saute pan, melt the butter and cook the onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt & pepper to taste and add the nutmeg. Cook until tender – about 5 minutes.

2. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir. Add milk and cook, stirring often, 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken up. Pour into prepared baking dish.

3. Stir in the Boursin cheese and spread to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover the top with the shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Top with dots of butter from your extra tablespoon.