Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Cooked while covered with browned breadcrumbs (and sometimes cheese): Describes a dish, typically vegetables or pasta, that is baked or broiled with a topping of breadcrumbs, and often grated cheese, until a golden-brown crust forms.

Usage

• The term "au gratin" is used as an adjective to describe the preparation method of a dish. It is placed after the noun it modifies.
• It is a culinary term borrowed from French, where "gratin" refers to the crust formed during baking.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • We had delicious potatoes au gratin for dinner. (The potatoes were cooked with a browned breadcrumb and cheese topping.)
  • The restaurant's signature dish is cauliflower au gratin. (The cauliflower is baked with a crusty topping.)

Advanced Usage

• "Gratin" as a noun: While "au gratin" is an adjectival phrase, the word "gratin" alone can function as a noun to refer to the dish itself or the crusty top layer.
  • She makes an excellent vegetable gratin. (She makes an excellent baked dish with a crusty topping.)
  • I love the crispy gratin on top of the casserole.

Variants and Related Words

• Gratinée (verb, past participle): To cook or brown a dish under a broiler or salamander to form a crust. This is the verb form from which the adjective is derived.
  • The soup was gratinéed with cheese. (The soup was topped with cheese and browned.)

Synonyms

• Scalloped: Often used interchangeably in American English for potato dishes baked in a creamy sauce, though traditionally "scalloped" may not always include a browned topping or cheese.
• Baked with a crust

Related Phrases

• Au gratin dish: Refers to the shallow ovenproof dish in which such food is traditionally cooked and served.
  • Serve the potatoes directly from the au gratin dish.

Adjective

1. cooked while covered with browned breadcrumbs (and sometimes cheese)