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Potato, Ham, and Spinach Gratin

Cooking Light
Potato, Ham, and Spinach Gratin
Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
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Worthy of a Special Occasion

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
Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2003

Member Ratings and Reviews

5 stars
DCCooker
I liked this recipe - though mine came out very watery and I am not sure why. I was hoping for something very creamy but did not get that. I will probably make this again - pretty easy to put together.11/11/08

5 stars
ktprincess74
Great flavor and does not taste light at all. I substituted thick sliced deli turkey (honey maple) for the ham and it was really good. I have made this several times now - it makes a lot and is excellent as leftovers and to bring to work for lunch.04/11/06