PUMPKIN AND SILVERBEET GRATIN WITH SAGE CREAM (AU GRATIN)

1. Heat butter in a frying pan over low heat, add leek. Sauté gently, stirring occasionally until leek is very soft and tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat, add silverbeet and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Squeeze excess water from silverbeet and coarsely chop, add to leek, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and mix to combine.
3. Combine cream, cinnamon, bay leaves, sage leaves and mustard into a small saucepan, place over low heat and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 190°C. Brush an 4 litre-capacity baking dish with some butter. Using a mandolin thinly slice pumpkin. Beginning with pumpkin layer vegetables into dish, seasoning occasionally with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Halfway through layers, drizzle vegetables with half the cream and then the rest when layering has finished. Cover with foil and bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with a skewer, about 1 hour. Remove and discard foil.
5. Meanwhile process bread in a food processor until chopped, add walnuts and pulse until pieces of bread and walnuts are roughly even. Scatter mixture evenly over vegetables and drizzle with a little oil, then bake on “Au Gratin” setting for another 5 minutes or until top is crisp and golden. Serve immediately.

Recipe created by Rodney Dunn from The Agrarian Kitchen