Butternut Squash and Leek Gratin

Now that fall is here, our CSA is full of loads and loads of squash. My favorite type so far has been butternut squash. It is full of flavor and has a ton of "meat" inside. Through the CSA I've also discovered that I love leeks. When looking for a butternut squash recipe I found one that also used leeks, which sounded almost too good to be true. The recipe suggested making individualized portions, which was convenient (and gave me an excuse to use my cute ramekins that never seem to have a purpose). 

Butternut Squash and Leek Gratins

1 (2 lb) butternut squash (halved and seeded)

1 tsp. butter

4 c. chopped leeks (about 4 large)

1 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

4 large eggs (lightly beaten)

1 lg. egg yolk (lightly beaten)

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the squash on a cooking spray covered pan, cut side down. Roast the squash for 45 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes, then scoop out the squash and mash in a bowl. Set the oven to 325 degrees. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter in the pan. Add the leeks, cover, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Make sure the heat isn't too high because I almost burnt mine. Reduce the heat, uncover , and cook for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Combine the sugar, salt, pepper, eggs, and egg yolk. Whisk together then add the squash and leeks until well combined. Divide the mixture into 6 ramekins coated with cooking spray. Place in a 13 X 9 pan and add 1 inch of boiling water to cover the bottom of the ramekins. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover then bake 15 minutes to finish. Take the pan out and put 2 tbsp. of cheese on each gratin. Melt the cheese under the broiler until the cheese is brown, about 2 minutes. 

This recipe came out so well, I'm thinking of baking it for Thanksgiving this year. The egg and boiling water bath combine to make the gratins like custard. Our entire meal was delicious and all organic. The green beans and squash were from our CSA. The chicken was all natural and hormone-free. To save money we decided to buy a whole chicken and have Joe break it down. Joe did an awesome job (what guy doesn't like using a sharp knife). It worked out so well we're still doing it. Overall it was a very satisfying, tasty meal!