Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut into halves or quarters
• 1 T olive oil + a tiny bit more for misting pan
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 cup finely grated Swiss cheese, not packed down
• 6 T mayo
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon
• Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 2 T coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400F/200C, unless you’re assembling the gratin now and baking it later. Cut off the stem ends of the brussels sprouts, then slice each sprout into halves or quarters, depending on its size.
2. Transfer the cut brussels sprouts to a salad spinner or colander and rinse them thoroughly in cold water. Spin them until very dry, or drain them well and pat with paper towels if you’re not using a spinner.
3. Add the dried brussels sprouts to a bowl and toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, dried thyme, and a little freshly ground black pepper.
4. Finely grate the swiss cheese with a hand grater until you have about a cup, keeping it loose rather than packed down.
5. Stir together the light mayo, mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, and a few turns of black pepper. Fold in the grated cheese to make the topping for the gratin.
6. Lightly mist or brush a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil, then warm it over medium-high heat until the pan feels hot when your hand is held above it. Add the brussels sprouts and cook, stirring now and then, until they turn bright green and begin to pick up a little browning, about 6 minutes. Don’t take them too far here, since the oven will finish the cooking.
7. Transfer the sprouts to a gratin dish and arrange them in an even layer.
8. Drop small spoonfuls of the topping over different areas of the sprouts, then use a rubber scraper to smooth it into a thin layer. Don’t pile everything in the center first, or spreading it evenly will be a tiny battle.
9. Scatter the coarsely-grated Parmesan over the surface. At this stage, the dish can go into the refrigerator to bake later. Before baking, let it lose its chill, then bake a little longer at a slightly lower temperature so the middle heats through before the cheese topping gets too done.
10. Place the dish in the heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is well browned and everything is hot all the way through.
11. Serve hot.