Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. Send your feedback to: exe.chef@horizonmanor.comIn culinary art, the word au gratin denotes a food item topped with seasoned bread crumbs and cheese. The au gratin topping should be brown in colour which is achieved by placing the dish under a grill. Cheese is not really necessary in au gratin as you can make your au gratin by breadcrumbs and butter only. One of the popular dished made using au gratin is the potato au gratin, the dish is thin sliced potato with a béchamel sauce, baked in oven for an hour and then topped with breadcrumbs, butter and cheese and cooked under a salamander. Leftover food can also be utilised by making au gratin. Mashed potato, for example, warmed up slightly and then topped with breadcrumbs, butter and grated cheese can be used for a quick potato au gratin. Leftover meats or fish added to sauce warmed in the microwave and finished au gratin is an easy option to make a quick meal. Vegetable au gratinServes 4IngredientsButter 2 tbspFlour 2 tbspMilk 1 ½ cupBlack pepper to tasteSalt to tasteNutmeg powder ¼ tspGarlic chop to tasteBroccoli florets 1 cupCauliflower florets 1 cupFrench beans 10-15 pcsCarrot 1 noPotato 1 noBreadcrumbs ¼ cupEnglish parsley 3 tbspOlive oil 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese 3 tbspCheddar cheese 3 tbspMethodBlanch the cauliflower and broccoli and refresh in ice cold water, keep aside. Slice the carrots, potato and beans and boil them separately.Heat butter in a heavy bottom pan and sauté chopped garlic. Add flour and butter and cook for a minute.Gradually add the milk, constantly stirring with whisk so that no lumps are formed.Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce is thick and coats the back of spoon.Season the sauce with salt pepper and nutmeg powder.Turn the burner off and mix grated cheddar cheese and stir.Mix bread crumbs, parsley and parmesan cheese and keep aside in a bowl.Toss the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, potato and beans in the white sauce prepared earlier.The sauce should only cover the veggies and spread the mixture in a greased baking pan.Sprinkle the breadcrumbs mixture on top of the mixture.Sprinkle some more grated cheese on top and put in dollops of butter and drizzle with olive oil.Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 15-20 minutes or till the crust turns light golden brown and crisp.Kunafeh Bil JibnAs the winter’s approach we tend to develop a carving for something hot and sweet, especially after the dinner and Kunafeh is the perfect solution to satisfy that carving. Kunafeh is an Arabic pastry made with spun shredded wheat soaked in sugar syrup and topped with nuts, raisins and cream. There are numerous recipe variants of this dessert and method of preparation. Like the traditional Nablus variant, Lebanese Bil Jibn Kunafeh and some more local variants using different ingredients. Kunafeh originated in the city of Nablus in Palestine and also the city holds a Guinness Record for making the largest single Kunafeh in the world that weighed 1,350 kilograms.In different variations of this dish, the cream is replaced by mozzarella or by cream cheese and at times cinnamon is added. This is one of my favourite desserts and my family loves it too. Kunafeh Bil JibnServes 4IngredientsKunafeh dough 400 gmDesi ghee 200 gmFor fillingAkawi cheese 600 gmSemolina ½ cupSugar syrup 2 tbspFor sugar syrupSugar 500 gmWater 500 mlRose water few dropsFor GarnishPistachio 50 gmMethodGrease a baking tray with ghee and spread a layer of half of the Kunafeh dough.Keep another baking tray on the dough and place some heavy weight on top to flatten the dough.Meanwhile, slice the cheese and keep it dipped in cold water for 10 minutes to remove excess salt.Repeat the above step till the cheese loses its salty taste (approximately 5- 6 times).Layer this desalted cheese on the Kunafeh dough layer.Add remaining Kunafeh dough on top of cheese and press again using another baking tray.Leave aside to set for 1 hour and remove the top tray and apply the remaining desi ghee on top.Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes at 220 degree Celsius.Make a thick sugar syrup by boiling together sugar and water and adding rose water to flavour.Once the top layer has a nice golden colour remove from oven and pour the prepared and cooled sugar syrup as desired.Garnish with pistachio and serve hot.