Gratin

Sprinkling this creamy custard with powdered sugar and then placing the dessert under the broiler gives it a delicate crust. Serve with crisp gingersnap cookies.

There's horseradish in the cream sauce and, for good measure, some more in the buttery crumb crust.

The microwave makes this dish a snap to prepare.

The primary difference between this kugel recipe and the traditional is its use of dairy, which would make it inappropriate at a meal with meat on the menu for those who observe kosher dietary laws.

This dish, which pairs the sunny flavors of Provence with the comfort of mashed potatoes, makes a nice accompaniment to grilled meat, poultry, or fish.

In the following recipe, scalloped potatoes, often soaked with cream and cheese, are combined with parsnips and cooked with broth and low-fat milk instead. Though lighter, they are still delicious.

This recipe originally accompanied Poached Halibut with Black Truffles and Purple-Potato and Crab Gratin .

Rick Rodgers, cookbook author and teacher, says, "I've always thought of mashed potatoes as an everyday way to serve potatoes, but scalloped potatoes really say special occasion to me. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter—they all call for scalloped potatoes, not something as humble as mashed. And since I've never been one for bland food, I kept fiddling with the amount and types of cheeses until I got this full-flavored version. If you like it with turkey, wait until you try it with the Easter ham."

(Gratins d'Aubergine, Mozzarella et Pistou) This makes a terrific meatless main course. It would serve eight as a side dish; simply layer the ingredients in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, then bake and broil it as directed.

Finnan Haddie Gratin Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

A crunchy, savory crumb topping makes broccoli irresistible — really!

A delicious and much lighter version of a favorite dish. Serve this gratin with roast chicken, pork, or beef.