Kumara, Potato and Cabbage Gratin

, from Issue #73. July, 2017
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Kumara, Potato and Cabbage Gratin

Always a crowd-pleaser and a substantial side dish with the addition of cabbage and spinach.

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
small knob of butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
½ small cabbage, thickly sliced
500 grams agria potatoes, peeled
800 grams mixed kumara, peeled
1 cup cream
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
100 grams grated gruyere cheese
parmesan, for grating
2 handfuls baby spinach
sea salt and ground pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Heat the oil and butter in a large sauté pan and cook the onion with a good pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin seeds and the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes until softened a little. Transfer to a large ovenproof baking dish.

Slice the potatoes and kumara 1cm thick, add to the baking dish and stir everything together.

Whisk the cream, milk and mustard together and season. Pour over the top then scatter over the gruyere and a good grating of parmesan.

Cover tightly with a piece of baking paper, then foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and cook for a further 30 minutes until the top is golden and the vegetables are tender.

Make small pockets between the vegetables with a teaspoon and tuck in the spinach. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes to wilt.