Gratin de Courgettes

 

I have watched my mother cook from the time I was able to hug her knees and ask for an "Uppie." 

Miraculously, bringing up 5 children,  she would still be able to produce delicious meals three times a day and it was always good. Of course, were she alive today, she would tell everyone I wasn’t always interested in vegetables. But by around the age of 11 and in a substantial growth spurt, I started eating everything with gusto.  This was when she began including me in her kitchen. Prior to this, my culinary experience encompassed Duncan Heinz' box cakes along with their ready made frosting. 

 

 

On this particular day I had approached her to find out what was for dinner. And she started to talk about the dish she was making. She was in a good mood. Cooking was always a time for her to stop juggling the endless chores and just concentrate on the one task at hand. We tended to leave her alone lest we get conscripted into setting the table.  She had a great nose and could cook with it. I never had the sense of smell she had. But since this dish was more about texture and the subtle taste of good cheese, I could get behind it. 

 

 

She called me over to the stove and said, "Viens ici ma chérie, je veux te montrer quelque chose,*" 

 

and then she gave me a tour of her mise en place set up. She explained that all the ingredients needed to be present and accounted for before beginning. 

Ingredients

 

3 Zucchinis 

2 Tablespoons of Flour 

2 Tablespoons of Butter 

¼ Cup of Cream. 

salt and pepper (not much needed as the cheese was salty) 

4 ounces of Grated Swiss Type cheese

2 ounces of Bread Crumbs

 

Method

 

“I will show you how to cook this dish. It is a very easy dish for beginners. Slice three zucchinis and then steam them until they are very soft. " About 5-7 minutes. 

 

“Next place them in a pan and mash them with a fork.  Smash them until they become a mush." As a kid, this part was surprisingly fun.  "Next add the flour and butter. Cook them over medium heat until the mixture thickens."  As she did this, she would point out the way the steam rose and the flour was quickly absorbed. Cooking was less about timing than about watching for the signs of readiness, 

 

"Now add the cheese when the flour thickens the zucchini and not a moment before."  There are many varieties of Swiss cheese.  The stronger the better. I like Gruyère but in today's market place the choices are endless. Appenzeller, Emmentaler, even Raclette.  To be honest I often just use the leftover bits and pieces from my cheese bin. In any case try different  selections over time to choose your favorite.

She would say "Put the cheese under your nose and take a good whiff.  What do you smell? Next imagine all the people involved in bringing you this delicious morsel."  

Ell m'a dit, "le fromage était vielle dans des grottes**"

Cook it on low heat long enough to watch the cheese strands disappear.

 

This was the first time I experienced the magic of cooking. In watching the zucchini slices give way under the pressure of a fork, observing cheese melt and transform the zucchini into something mouth watering, I felt culinary power.

 

The final phase was to pour the contents into a small casserole and sprinkle the top with bread crumbs along with a several leftover strands of cheese. Places in a toaster oven on 400 degrees.

 

These cheese strands became one with the bread crumbs and form a delicious crust under the toaster oven's broiler setting in about 5-7 minutes. You have to watch to make sure the top becomes lightly browned. Too little and there would be no crunchy texture, too much and it will burn. 

 

“Faites attention!”  Elle me disait beaucoup de temps!***

 

I watched her cook this dish the first time. She watched me the second time and the I did it all by myself the third time. Before long I became a regular in the kitchen. But I must confess that I did not become the good cook she was until many years later when I started to follow directions in a cook book. She rarely consulted a book but she did have notes written in French on index cards. I was grateful for the early lessons on the basics. It gave me a leg up when learning how to cook. And for this I am forever grateful. Merci Maman.

 

*Come her my dear, let me show you something

** Cheese matures in caves

*** watch carefully. She told me many timee!

ps I just did an internet search for this dish and see that No one mashed the zucchini up. My mom is a masher.  In fact over the years we would always roll our eyes when a neighbor and unwashed version over.  We so felt superior. What can I say, texture is key. 

Sandra