A gratin doesn't have to be just potatoes and cream, it can also be filled with delicious turnip slices too. Some friends of ours recently gave us some itty-bitty turnips, that were the size of radishes. At first, because they were so small, I thought I might showcase them by roasting them. But, then I decided that they could hold their own in a lovely gratin of potatoes, cheddar, onions, thyme and bacon. Amazingly, the turnip helped to make the velvety dish even more creamy. Pure deliciousness.

Turnip, Cheddar and Bacon Gratin

1 small turnip

1 large russet potato

1 small onion

3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled (Omit if you want gratin to be vegetarian.)

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, with ½ a cup reserved for the topping (I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp)

½ cup of panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon reserved for topping

For the sauce:

2 cups of half and half or whole cream

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves (or a teaspoon of dried)

Preheat oven to 375.

Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes, turnip and onion so they are 1/8 of an inch thick. Heat the cream and thyme in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Turn the heat off and let the sauce sit while you assemble the gratin. Layer 1/3 of the potato, turnip, onion, bacon and cheese and dot with a teaspoon of butter. Repeat until the vegetables are gone. Pour the sauce over the gratin. Top with the panko, reserved butter and cheese. Bake covered for 40 minutes, remove cover and bake an additional 20-30 minutes or until a knife pierces the gratin easily.

Serves 4.

(Photo by Launie Kettler)

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