Walnut Sage Gratin Food

WALNUT AND SAGE POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole; set aside. Halve potatoes lengthwise. Place potato halves in colander. Rinse with cold water; drain. For sauce:
• In a medium saucepan, cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in snipped sage.
• Layer half of the potatoes in a greased 2-quart casserole. Top with half the sauce. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat layering with potatoes and sauce. (Cover and chill remaining cheese until needed.)
• Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake about 25 minutes more or just until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; top with walnuts. Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with sage leaves. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SAGE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well and roast until the squash is very tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing twice throughout. While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the sage and cook, tossing often, until the leaves begin to crisp, about 1 minute. Add the walnuts and a generous sprinkle of salt and cook, tossing often, until the sage leaves are lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage and nuts to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out the skillet. Let the mixture drain for 1 minute, then add it to a small bowl with the lemon zest; toss lightly and set aside.
• Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup stock, and blend until smooth and thick. The consistency should be somewhere between a purée and a thick soup. Add more stock as needed, if it seems too thick.
• Transfer the puréed squash to the reserved skillet and keep warm over very low heat. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water, along with 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until al dente. Just before draining, ladle 1/2 cup pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, then, off the heat, add the 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss until the cheese is incorporated. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and sprinkle the sage, walnut and lemon zest mixture on top, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

WALNUT-SAGE POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Peel potatoes, if desired, and thinly slice - I used the thin slicing blade on the food processor - (should have 6 cups).
• Place slices in a colander.
• Rinse with cool water; set aside to drain.
• For sauce, in a medium saucepan on med to med-high heat (I have found walnut oil doesn't have a high heat tolerance)cook onion and garlic in walnut oil until tender but not brown.
• Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.
• Add milk all at once.
• Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in snipped sage.
• Grease a 2-quart round casserole (with glass cover).
• Layer half of the potatoes in casserole. Cover with half the sauce.
• Sprinkle with half the cheese.
• Repeat layering with the potatoes and sauce. (Cover and chill remaining cheese until needed.).
• Bake casserole, covered, in conventional oven at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 25 minutes more or until potatoes are just tender.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese and nuts over top. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes.
• Top with sage leaves.

SAGE-WALNUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey and a bay leaf in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until syrupy, 5 minutes. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1/3 cup sage leaves and 1 cup chopped walnuts; cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup pasta-cooking water and cook until reduced by half, 2 minutes. Toss with 1 pound cooked tortellini, some grated parmesan and salt. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup.