Beetroot, potato and leek gratin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg potatoes
• 2 beetroot bulbs
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 250 g cheese (e.g. 180 g Emmental and 70 g Appenzeller)
• 100 ml milk
• 200 ml cream
• some vegetable broth
• nutmeg
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 15 minutes

Cook the beetroot for 35-40 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the raw potatoes and cut into not-too-thick slices. Trim the leek and slice into rings. Grate the cheese and set aside. Once the beetroot is cooked, peel it and cut it into cubes. Tip: When you remove the beetroot from the boiling water, you can easily wipe off the skin with a paper towel. It’s best to wear gloves, as beetroot stains your hands. Mix the potatoes, beetroot, and leek; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and place in an ovenproof dish (preferably with a lid). Preheat the oven to 220°C (top/bottom heat). Mix the cream with the milk and vegetable stock and pour over the vegetables. Spread the cheese on top of the vegetables and place the lid on the ovenproof dish. If you don’t have a suitable lid, you can cover the gratin with aluminum foil. It’s important that the cheese doesn’t burn. Place everything in the hot oven for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, remove the lid or aluminum foil from the gratin and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is slightly browned. This gratin is a bit more liquid than a regular potato gratin, as the beetroot naturally loses some liquid, but this doesn’t affect the flavor.