Summer Tomato & Zucchini Gratin
Bacon vodka, bacon milkshakes, bacon lip-balm… Is there no stopping the American frenzy for cured, smoked pork belly? Here’s a garden gratin in which bacon is an accent, not an idol.
Ingredients
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped crosswise into ¾-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
6-8 meaty plum tomatoes, cut
lengthwise into three thick slices
1 medium (about ½ pound)
Romanesco zucchini*, cut into thin rounds
Salt and pepper
¼ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, divided
Directions
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Reduce heat, add onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring often, until onions are rich-colored, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange 4 to 5 tomato slices at an angle against one side of a round baking dish or pie plate, overlapping them a bit. Spread some of the bacon-onion mixture along the bottom edges of the tomatoes, then arrange several squash pieces over the onions, again overlapping them slightly. Repeat these layers until all the vegetables are used up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle this over all. Bake until vegetables are tender and top is browned, about 30 minutes.
Suggestions
* Romanesco Zucchini is an Italian heirloom variety that is gray-green in color, with pale green flecks and prominent ribs, and with a dense texture and nutty flavor.
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