A recipe from Postmaster’s executive chef

 

Chelsea Pollard

Postmaster’s Squash and Mushroom Gratin

STEP 1: Tomato Gravy

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 cans crushed tomato
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add cornmeal and cook for five minutes while constantly stirring. Add crushed tomato to the mixture and increase the heat to medium. Once at a slight simmer, add in salt and pepper, then pull from heat. Set aside to cool

STEP 2: Mushrooms

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pints oyster mushrooms
½ yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Shred oyster mushrooms by hand into small pieces. Dice onion, and thinly slice garlic. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sweat garlic and onion in butter for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add white wine and cook for two minutes to reduce wine. Add in mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Gently cook them over medium heat for two minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

STEP 3: GRATIN Build

2 yellow squash
Boxed or homemade cornbread, cooked prior to gratin assembly
Goat cheese crumble
½ cup Texas Pete hot sauce
¼ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice yellow squash into thin circles. Spread half of the cooled tomato gravy on the bottom of a 9” square casserole dish. Layer half of the squash slices over the tomato gravy. Place entire cooked mushroom filling on top of the sliced squash, and layer the remaining squash on top of the mushroom filling. Spread the remaining tomato gravy. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes, uncovered. Switch oven to medium broil. Crumble cornbread and goat cheese on top. Place under broiler until golden brown, around 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with Texas Pete and olive oil.

 

photos by Ben McKeown