Beet gratin

Well, you knew any self-respecting Valentine's Day recipe would include beets, right?

I used one big red beet and one small golden beet for this, and still got six individual gratins. Look at the colors:

Isn't that gorgeous?

The basic idea is to layer beets with grated cheese (Gruyere, Comte, Manchego, even parmesan would work in a pinch) and maybe some fresh thyme if you have it, and roast in individual ramekins. I peeled the beets raw and roasted them like that, but they took a lot longer to roast than I thought they would. So I'm revising the recipe slightly.

I think it's better to roast the beets ahead of time, then peel and slice and layer with the cheese in individual ramekins, and then roast them just long enough to melt the cheese and meld the flavors.

So, then, here's the recipe:

2 beets, roasted, peeled and sliced thinly
shredded cheese (Gruyere is best)
fresh thyme (but I used dried, because that's all I had)

Roast the beets ahead of time by wrapping them in foil and leaving them in a 400-degree oven for an hour or so. (This part can be done hours or even a day or two in advance. Just throw the foil packets whole into the fridge until you're ready.) When they cool, slip the skins off and slice thinly.

Layer in ramekins: beet slice, cheese, thyme (the beet slice may fit perfectly).

Like so:

Roast again at 400 just until the cheese on top is browned and bubbly.

I just love those colors:

Eat, and enjoy!