Carrot gratin with béchamel

A reader recently requested more recipes for carrots and other orange vegetables like squash. Squash will have to wait until the fall, but there are lots of carrots in farmers’ markets right now. This recipe is so simple and so good — I simmer the carrots, stir some of the cooking water into the béchamel, nap the carrots with the béchamel and bake until bubbly. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot or onion (optional) 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste 2 pounds thick carrots, sliced on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoon finely chopped chives 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1/2 cup, optional) 1. Make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion, and cook, stirring, until softened, about three minutes. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until smooth and bubbling but not browned. The paste should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once, and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low, and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into a heatproof bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup. 2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish. Fill a medium saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and then the carrots. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer the carrots for five minutes or until just tender. Whisk 1/2 cup of the cooking water into the béchamel, and drain the carrots. Set on a clean kitchen towel to dry for a minute, then transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the thyme, chives, salt and pepper to taste, the béchamel and Gruyère. Scrape into the baking dish. 3. Place in the oven, and bake 20 to 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the gratin is bubbling. Remove from the heat, allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes and serve. Yield: Serves six. Advance preparation: You can make the béchamel and cook the carrots up to a day ahead of assembling the gratin; keep them in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, whisk the béchamel, thin out a little if desired and proceed with step 2. Nutritional information per serving: 149 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 21 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 148 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 5 grams protein