When there is a chill in the air, it is time to turn to warm casserole dishes. Now it might surprise you that the Japanese also eat homey western cuisine. Yes, we love our cozy dishes, but very often we enjoy them with Japanese flavors. Among the myriad Western-style Japanese food or yoshoku out there, the two popular casserole dishes are Gratin (グラタン) and Doria (ドリア), a Japanese invention of rice gratin. Today I’m going to share our fall favorite gratin, Kabocha Gratin (カボチャグラタン). You can use rice or pasta for your choice of carb. I used macaroni, so think fancy Japanese-style mac and cheese. Rich and indulgent, this vegetarian-friendly recipe would make a really nice side dish or a complete meal on its own.
The Star Ingredient – Kabocha
The outstanding texture and sweetness of Kabocha are what make this gratin shine. Not only does it add so much more flavor and heartiness to the entire dish, but the bright vivid orange flesh also gives the gratin an extra holiday touch. Since kabocha is loaded with plenty of nutrients, you get extra goodness out of this comfort dish. If you prefer less carb, just adjust the ratio of kabocha and macaroni to your liking.
Cooking Tips for Bechamel Sauce (White Sauce)
Don’t get taken aback when you hear “bechamel sauce”. It may sound fancy to the ears, but in fact, it is a simple sauce to make. In Japan, we just call it “white sauce” (ホワイトソース). The cheesy creamy sauce is often used to make soups and stews like my Clam Chowder, and Japanese White Stew (ホワイトシチュー) recipes. To make a good white sauce, you need to remember three important points.
1. Patiently cook the roux
First of all, the roux is made of equal parts of fat (butter, coconut oil, ghee, etc.) and flour by volume. You may find that many recipes adjust the amount like I did in this recipe. The butter and flour swell as they cook and will thicken sauces. You want to make sure that the flour in the roux is cooked well, which should be about 5-7 minutes until the roux turns into a light golden color. If you don’t cook the roux long enough, the white sauce will have a raw floury taste.
2. Always use warm milk
I highly recommend heating up the milk until warm to the touch. This extra step helps as it takes less time to heat up and thicken the sauce and you don’t have to stir constantly for a longer time.
3. Gradually add in the milk
Never pour the milk all at once! You want to gradually add in the warm milk, about ¼ cup at a time. Make sure the milk and the roux are well blended without any lumps before adding the next batch. It’s MUCH harder to dissolve clumps of flour in a thin sauce. Continue cooking while stirring constantly because the thick white sauce easily burns. Wait for the point when the white sauce changes the texture to become very smooth, thick, and creamy.
A Japanese Twist – Miso!
I like to sneak in a Japanese condiment in Western-style dishes. It’s my “secret ingredient”. In Japanese, we say Kakushi Aji as a special touch to give the dish a subtle Japanese flavor. The recipe is delicious even without miso in it, but if you have a tub of miso in your fridge waiting to get used, this is your chance! Each miso has a different salt level, so you want to adjust the amount of miso flavoring the dish. The white sauce is pretty mild in taste, so you can season the kabocha and mushroom mixture pretty well, without having to worry it gets too salty when the whole dish comes together.
Variation of Kabocha Gratin
If you wish to add in some meat to bulk up the casserole, there is no reason not to do so. Some shredded chicken or leftover turkey would work well in the dish. I love the addition of bacon. You probably have heard me repeating this – bacon and kabocha are an excellent match! You can keep the gratin simple with just kabocha or kabocha and macaroni, but I like throwing in some king oyster mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms. The meaty mushrooms lend the right amount of umami to an already amazing creamy kabocha gratin. I love taking the kabocha gratin out of the oven with its golden baked cheese still bubbling around the edges. As it cools on the stove, garnish with some chives. You will have a delicious casserole dish ready for dinner or at your next holiday party!
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