Local Dish - Black Rock Bistro- Squash Gratin

Images by Al BlantonMost kids typically are not fond of eating vegetables. It’s just a fact of life. Parents often have to use rather creative methods to persuade, cajole, or even trick kids into eating their veggies.Black Rock Bistro feels your pain. And they’re here to help.Greg Kilgore, who co-owns Black Rock Bistro with his wife Lindsey, has created a dish using local ingredients in a different way. Greg says it’s simply a local squash gratin, (“Gratin” is a French word meaning “to layer and cover with cheese”) and you can even make it yourself at home, using items found locally.Greg prepares it using a French baking dish, but he says you can use any dish you like. He starts with bacon on the bottom, then adds sliced squash about 1/4 inch thick. He likes to season each layer with salt and pepper, then add tomatoes, caramelized onions, and a little English cheddar. The cheese gives it added flavor, and also binds it together so it doesn’t fall apart. “You can do variations, with other kinds of cheese if you can’t find English cheddar,” Greg says. Once that is done, Greg starts over and builds up to about three layers. Then he adds panko, (Japanese breadcrumbs) a little butter to bind it, covers the top, and bakes it at about 375 degrees, until the squash is tender. “You can use any breadcrumbs but I like the texture of panko,” Greg explains.Greg says the items needed for this dish are available at the local supermarket or the Farmer’s Market. “We have a good relationship with about eight farmers,” he says. “People don't utilize the farmer’s market here. It has wonderful produce. What I want people to take from it is, ‘hey, I can make this at my house,’ because you can buy what you need locally.”Black Rock Bistro will be offering the squash gratin as a seasonal side item at night. “It’s a good way to get kids to eat vegetables,” Greg says. “It’s a pretty dish and it cooks up beautiful.” 78