Parsnip & chestnut gratin

Name: Parsnip & chestnut gratin
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 500 g Essential Parsnips, peeled; 200 g Essential Great All-Rounder Potatoes, peeled; 20 g Essential Salted Butter; 1 echalion shallot, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 300 ml Essential Double Cream; 300 ml hot vegetable stock; 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated; Few sprigs thyme, leaves picked (to give 5g); ½ tsp sea salt flakes; ½ ground black peppercorns; 100 g cooked chestnuts, crumbled, or chopped into coarse chunks; 80 g sourdough, pulsed into fine breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

This is an indulgent dish and a spoonful goes a long way. It could do the job of three traditional sides – bread sauce, stuffing, and ‘bonus root veg’ – so can be justified, says Ed Smith

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Serves8
CourseSide
Prepare35 mins
Cook50 mins
Total time1 hr 25 mins
Plusresting

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Ingredients

500g Essential Parsnips, peeled
200g Essential Great All-Rounder Potatoes, peeled
20g Essential Salted Butter
1 echalion shallot, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
300ml Essential Double Cream
300ml hot vegetable stock
30g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
Few sprigs thyme, leaves picked (to give 5g)
½ tsp sea salt flakes
½ ground black peppercorns
100g cooked chestnuts, crumbled, or chopped into coarse chunks
80g sourdough, pulsed into fine breadcrumbs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Slice the parsnips into thin 2-3mm pieces, using a mandolin if possible. Slice the potatoes to the same thickness.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, cream, stock, cheese, thyme leaves, salt and ground peppercorns.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the parsnips, potatoes and chestnuts. Stir so that each piece is coated and evenly distributed.
Decant everything to a large gratin or ovenproof baking dish (about 26x18cm) in which everything can sit at a depth of about 4cm. Scatter with the breadcrumbs, drizzle with the olive oil, then bake for around 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, the cream is bubbling and the breadcrumbs are golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.