Potato, Turnio and Spinach Baeckoffe

By minicoopercraig

Translated from the Germanic Alsation dialect, baeckoffe means "baker's oven," as it was traditionally a dish that was brought to the local baker to cook in his oven. Classic versions are loaded with meat, but this vegetarian riff is equally hearty and rich.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound thinly sliced mushroom caps
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large thyme sprig
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• Cooking spray
• 4 cups vertically sliced onion (about 2 medium onions)
• 1 (8-ounce) Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into (1/4 inch-thick) slices
• 2 ups packed baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 (6-ounce) turnip, peeled and cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to pan, and saute 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add wine; cook 2 minutes. Add parsley, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Uncover and cook 6 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from hear, discard thyme. Add cream cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Remove mushroom mixture from pan. Wipe pan clean with paper towels.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking for 15 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring frequently. Set aside.

Coat a 6-cup baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange potato slices in dish, and top with spinach. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper evenly over spinach. Spoon the mushroom mixture over black pepper, arrange turnip slices over mushroom mixture. Top with onion mixture; sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and tarragon. Pour whipping cream over tarragon, and sprinkle evenly with Gruyere cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and cheese begins to brown.

(Serving size: 1 1/4 cups)