au gratin

[oh graht-n, oh grat-n, aw graht-n, aw grat-n, oh gra-tan]

adjective

Cooking.

1. cooked or baked with a topping of either browned breadcrumbs and butter or grated cheese, or with both: cauliflower au gratin.

   au gratin potatoes;

   cauliflower au gratin.

au gratin

/ o ɡratɛ̃ /

adjective

1. Also: gratinated. covered and cooked with browned breadcrumbs and sometimes cheese

Word History and Origins

Origin of au gratin¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from French: literally, “with the scraping,” (i.e., the burnt part)

Word History and Origins

Origin of au gratin¹

French, literally: with the grating

Example Sentences

Coquilles Saint-Jacques is essentially a frou-frou description for scallops au gratin, more often prepared as a casserole than in those magical shells which are harder to find these days.

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Plus, there was a choice of buttered carrots, lima beans, french-fried onions, and potatoes au gratin.

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They hosed down food carts, bagged trash and helped prepare the day’s lunch: ham and macaroni au gratin, stir-fried snow peas and citrus gelatin cubes.

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When you were a child, were you one of those little ones who only ate your vegetables with glee when they were served au gratin — smothered in cream and cheese?

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Suggested side dishes include garlic mashed potatoes, scalloped or au gratin potatoes.

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