Brussels Sprouts Gratin
This brussels sprouts gratin with cheese sauce is based on Julia Child's Choux de Bruxelles à la Mornay, Gratinés, and is a rich vegetable side dish made with homemade béchamel.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 235kcal
Equipment
- medium casserole dish (9"x9" or 10"x10")
- heavy-bottomed pan
Ingredients
Brussels Sprouts:
- 1 ½ pounds brussels sprouts, stems removed + sprouts halved or quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil Or swap 2 TB melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Béchamel Sauce:
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons flour Use AP gluten-free flour if needed
- ½ cup freshly grated Swiss (esp. Gruyere) or Parmesan cheese, divided Or use a mixture of both cheeses
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil and sea salt. Arrange in a medium casserole dish (9x9 or 10x10), and bake 14-15 minutes, or until the sprouts have just turned bright green.
- While sprouts cook, make the béchamel sauce.Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Alternatively, microwave the milk until it begins to simmer.Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy bottomed pan over low heat. When the butter melts, stir in the flour. Continue stirring until the flour is incorporated with the butter and they begin to foam (but not brown). Allow the mixture to foam for 2 minutes.Begin slowly pouring in the hot milk, stirring or whisking constantly. The milk should be very hot (almost at boiling) when you pour it into the butter and flour.Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
- Stir ¼ cup of the cheese into the béchamel, and continue stirring until the cheese is melted.Add the sea salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir again, and then taste. Add more seasoning if desired.
- When the sprouts are done roasting, fold half the sauce into the sprouts and stir.Pour the remaining sauce over the sprouts. Top with the remaining cheese.Cut the remaining butter into small cubes and dot the top.
- Move an oven rack to the position closest to the broiler.Position the casserole dish under the broiler and broil 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.Serve immediately.
Notes
Partially Make Ahead: This dish tastes best right after cooking, but can be partially prepped ahead.
- Prepare the raw brussels sprouts by trimming and halving (or quartering) and store in the fridge for up to two days.
- Prepare the béchamel sauce up to three days ahead and store in the fridge. Reheat over low heat, adding more hot milk if needed.
- My sauce is lumpy: If the milk is still almost boiling when added and if you stir or whisk vigorously, there shouldn't be lumps. If there are, you can purée the sauce in a blender.
- The sauce is too thick: With the heat on, whisk a little more hot milk back into the sauce. (Gluten-free AP flour will sometimes thicken the sauce more than intended.) Note that extra-thick sauce will work fine in this recipe, just make sure to spread it out evenly over the sprouts.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1270IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 2mg
