Root-Vegetable Gratin

I picked this recipe for some gorgeous sweet potatoes I got from my Front Porch Pickings basket.  I also picked this recipe because I adore rutabaga.  It first started when, as a college student, I did some backpacking through Europe.  It was the end of a long trip, and we had arrived in London.  Upon our arrival, we found that for lodging we could choose between a dorm at the college or for just a bit more per person, we could stay in a nice hotel.  We opted for the latter.  In the restaurant at the hotel I had some roasted veggies as my side.  I loved this one, but had no idea what it was.  The waiter told me it was suede.  And until just a few years ago, I had no idea that suede was also called rutabaga. Obviously I loved this recipe.  The boy ate it all but didn't rave, but my husband liked it a lot.  If you have a mandolin, this recipe is a snap.  It requires an hour and a half of cooking time, but it is inactive cooking time.  It also looked beautiful!  I loved the yellow to orange layers.  I think next time I might like a little sage in with the seasoning, but it isn't necessary.  I needed a larger pan than they suggested.  Perhaps my veggies were larger than normal.  It would have been nice to know before I filled the first pan :/.  With it I made a London broil and a salad with blue cheese crumbles and a red wine vinaigrette.  I loved dinner!  For the vegetarians, just sub veggie broth for the chicken.


Root-Vegetable Gratin


2    large sweet potatoes,peeled
1    butternut squash neck (2 1/4 pounds) from a large butternut-squash peeled
1    medium rutabaga (2 pounds) peeled and halved lengthwise
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c  low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 c  heavy cream
3/4 c  panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 1/2 T  extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes and
squash lengthwise 1/8 inch thick. Slice the rutabaga crosswise 1/8 inch
thick.
2. Spray an 8-by-12-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange
half of the potatoes in the dish, overlapping them slightly; season
with salt and pepper. Top with half of the rutabaga and the squash,
seasoning each layer. Repeat the layering. Pour the broth over and
around the vegetables.
3. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the vegetables
are almost tender when pierced. Remove the foil and pour the cream over
the gratin. Bake for about 30 minutes longer, until the liquid has
thickened.
4. Preheat the broiler. Mix the panko with the oil and season with
salt and pepper; sprinkle over the gratin. Broil 3 inches from the heat
for 2 minutes, until golden, rotating for even browning. Let the gratin
stand for 10 minutes, then serve