Squash Gratin

House Cheese, Honey-Beer Syrup, Melon, Cherry Tomatoes, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Chef Jaimon Westing of No Anchor | Seattle
Yield: 24 servings

Adapted by StarChefs | February 2020

INGREDIENTS:

Honey-Beer Syrup: 
2 quarts collected beer-runoff from No Anchor taps 
1 quart fermented garlic honey 
1 ounce butter
Salt

Squash Gratin:
2 pounds zucchini
2 pounds yellow squash
2 pounds pattypan squash

House Cheese: 
2 quarts whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup lemon juice 
25 grams salt

Cherry Tomatoes:
1 pound cherry tomatoes, blanched and peeled
House beer vinegar

Melons:
1 cantaloupe, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 honeydew, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices  
1 small watermelon, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices 
Thyme oil

To Assemble and Serve:
Neutral oil 
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Tangerine lace

METHOD:

For the Squash Gratin:
Using a Katsuramuki vegetable sheeter, sheet all vegetables. Stack sheets, alternating between the 3 types of squash, and brush each sheet with Honey-Beer Syrup. Carefully and tightly roll-up and truss the stack of squash. Brush the trussed squash heavily with more Honey-Beer Syrup. “Dry age” overnight in refrigerator. Carefully cut squish into 1-inch-thick slices, laying them so the spiral pattern faces up on a sheet tray lined with a wire rack. Let Squash Gratins dry. 

For the House Cheese:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 160°F. In a bowl, whisk to combine all ingredients. Divide mixture into thirds and seal in 3 separate vacuum bags. Cook sous vide 3 hours. Shock in ice bath and refrigerate overnight. Remove cheese from bags and hang using cheesecloth to drain whey.

For the Honey-Beer Syrup: 
In a pot, heat beer, reduce by half, add honey, and reduce to golden-brown syrup. Finish with butter and season with salt.  

For the Cherry Tomatoes:
In a vacuum bag, compress tomatoes and vinegar.

For the Melons:
Using a small ring mold, punch out discs from Melon slices (25 discs per Melon). Transfer to a vacuum bag, season with thyme oil, and compress.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a pan, heat oil and gently sear Squash Gratin until deeply browned on both sides; drain. Transfer to a serving plate, placing gratin slightly off center. Garnish with 3 Cherry Tomato halves and 3 sprigs tangerine lace. Next to the gratin, place a quenelle of House Cheese about as long as the gratin. Cover cheese with pumpkin seeds and garnish with 1 disc of each Melon.

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