Potato, Ham, and Spinach Gratin

This simple gratin uses yellow-fleshed potatoes to good advantage--sliced thin, they remain toothsome but light. For best results, peel and slice the potatoes just before assembling the gratin so their starch doesn't leach out. Using a "V" slicer or mandoline really helps to make uniformly thin slices.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced shallots
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup  chopped reduced-fat ham (about 4 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/8  teaspoon  grated whole nutmeg
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 2  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• 7  cups  (1/8-inch-thick) slices Yukon gold potato (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in ham, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, nutmeg, and spinach. Combine milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk.

Arrange half of potato slices in an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread spinach mixture over potato slices. Arrange remaining potato slices over spinach mixture; pour milk mixture over top. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Broil gratin for 2 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

240 (24% from fat)

Fat:

6.3g (sat 2.9g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

12.8g

Carbohydrate:

34g

Fiber:

3g

Cholesterol:

22mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

581mg

Calcium:

235mg