Indian Summer Gratin With Butternut Squash, Potatoes, Corn, And Bacon

• 1 Tbs. plus 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter
• 4 slices bacon
• 1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt
• 1 large or 2 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
• 1-3/4 to 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 large ears)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 12 oz. peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2-1/2 cups)
• 8 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1-1/2 cups)

1. Position rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400u0b0F. Rub a 2qt shallow gratin dish with 1/2 tsp. of the butter.
2. In a 12" nonstick skillet over med heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 8 min. Transfer the bacon to paper towels. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the fat in the skillet; discard the remainder. Crumble bacon.
3. In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. of the crumbled bacon with the breadcrumbs, 2 Tbs. of the Parmigiano, the olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, and a large pinch of salt. Mix well.
4. Add the remaining 1 T butter to the skillet with the bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and just starting to turn golden, 6 to 7 min. Add garlic and stir well. Add corn, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn has lost its raw look and is slightly shrunken, 3 min. Cool slightly.
5. Combine cream and chicken broth in a 2C liquid measure. Add the lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to mix well.
6. In a large bowl, combine the remaining bacon, the corn-leek mixture, the diced squash, potatoes, and remaining 1 tsp. thyme. Toss lightly to combine. Spread mixture evenly in the gratin dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2C Parmigiano on top. Stir cream mixture one more time and pour it over everything as evenly as possible. Press down on the veggies with a spatula so the liquid surrounds them and everything is evenly distributed. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over all.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 20min. Remove foil and continue to bake until the crumb topping is deeply golden and the squash and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 min. Let cool for 20 to 25 min before serving.

unsalted butter, bacon, fresh breadcrumbs, extravirgin olive oil, thyme, kosher salt, leeks, fresh garlic, corn kernels, freshly ground black pepper, heavy cream, lowersalt chicken broth, lemon zest, butternut squash, potatoes

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/indian-summer-gratin-with-butternut-squash-potatoes-corn-and-bacon-50091191 (may not work)