This Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dish Stole the Show at Our Cookbook Club

Last Thursday, Food52's Cookbook Club community members gathered for a potluck-style event celebrating our Cookbook of the Year, Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon. And while asking a cookbook author to choose a favorite dish is like asking a mother to choose a favorite child, there always is one (it just depends on the day). So on this particular evening, Hetty picked a favorite: Hazelnut Hassleback Potato Gratin. Turns out, it everyone else’s go-to, as well. (Truth: Our editorial director went in for seconds.)

“It is the most delicious potato gratin you are ever going to have,” shared McKinnon. “There isn’t any cream—it’s the hazelnut milk that makes the cream which has so much flavor in it.” The recipe is simple: a leek base layered with a hazelnut, rosemary, and nutmeg béchamel-like sauce topped with thinly sliced potatoes and, of course, more sauce. The flavor is anything but. It’s equal parts nutty and aromatic with a light and fluffy feel that won’t leave you with post-feast discomfort.

McKinnon only makes it around once a year to preserve its special feel, and marks Thanksgiving as the perfect time to do so. And we hope you follow suit.