Chef Anne Gallagher has created a simple vegetable gratin and a
lovely beet salad to celebrate the arrival of spring. Follow her recipes.

With warmer weather finally here and plenty of vegetables available, it’s time to put aside the stews and hearty dishes that comforted us through the winter. We asked Chef Anne Gallagher to suggest a dish that’s easy to make using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Anne came up with a delicious Spring Vegetable Gratin, and she also surprised us with a tasty Beet Salad. The two dishes compliment each other beautifully. Below are her two recipes. Enjoy!

Spring Vegetable Gratin

Serves 4 to 6

1 fennel bulb with fronds, trimmed, bulb thinly sliced, and chop enough of the fronds to measure 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 medium leeks, white to pale green parts only, cut in
half lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch fresh greens, such as spinach, or chard, trimmed
and roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large farm-fresh eggs
4 ounces grated Gruyere cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup milk, plus more if needed

1. Preheat the oven 375°F. Butter a small pie plate (9-inch) or gratin dish.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, and then the fennel slices and blanch for 1 minute. Drain the fennel and add to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again.
3. Heat a large sauté pan or skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter or olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the leeks and sauté until softened, be careful not to caramelize. Add the fennel slices and sauté 1 minute, then add the greens and cook, tossing often, until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the ingredients to a bowl, stir in the fennel fronds, and let cool.
4. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the cheese and milk until blended. Add up to 1/4 cup more milk if needed.
5. Transfer the fennel mixture to the prepared pie plate or gratin dish and pour the egg mixture over the surface. Bake until mixture is set and golden brown on top, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the gratin from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Fennel, Beet, and Orange Salad

Serves 4 to 6

2 medium red beets, tops trimmed
2 medium golden beets, tops trimmed
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
1 navel orange, such as Cara Cara
1 blood orange
2 clementines
1 medium fennel bulb with fronds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped cilantro, to taste

1. Preheat the oven 400°F.
2. Double wrap the red beets and golden beets separately in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife (roasting time varies depending on size of beet, may take up to 1 hour).
3. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt and the red onions. Blanch for 30 seconds, then drain and put onions into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again.
4. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from all oranges. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes of the navel and blood orange to release segments into bowl and to collect the juices. Slice the clementines into thin rounds and add to bowl.
5. When beets are cool, remove the skins and cut into wedges or slices. Add the beets to the orange segments.
6. Cut the fennel bulb in half, remove the core, and thinly slice. Add the fennel to the beets and oranges, and stir to combine. Chop the fronds and set aside. Chop enough of the fronds to measure 1 tablespoon and set aside.
7. Add the lime and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in the reserved fronds and chopped cilantro. Stir in the chopped fennel fronds and cilantro, to taste. Let salad stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Chef Anne Gallagher operates a successful catering business, Anne Gallagher Catering, out of New Preston. She is a passionate advocate for delicious and fresh, local and seasonal cuisine. She is the co-founder and coordinating chef of the nationally-recognized coalition Plow to Plate. Anne is also in charge of the Youth Chefs’ Program. She can be reached at: Anne Gallagher Catering, 860.921.8304 or [email protected]