There are some dishes that simply can’t be improved upon and this is one of them. It is a Thanksgiving classic that harkens back to forever ago. It comes from the French cannon of creamy, cheesy baked foods that everyone loves.
The brilliance of this dish is its simplicity. Thin slivers of potato are layered with cream, cheese, and garlic. Nothing crazy, nothing expensive. It is just goodness layered with more goodness. They are baked until hot and soft so each bite is pure potato bliss.
While it is unlikely that you’ll be substituting this for mashed potatoes this year consider serving this up alongside. Your family will thank you for bringing a familiar dish everyone loves and for changing up the potato routine. When in doubt, go with the classics. They are always in style for a reason.
RECIPE: Classic Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
- 3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly crack black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¾ cup finely shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Use a mandonline to slice the potatoes 1/8-inch thick. Carefully place them in a large saucepan and add the cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Gently shift the potatoes so they don’t burn, but do so very carefully so as not to break the potatoes.
- When the cream has boiled for 1 minute carefully pour the mixture into a 3 quart baking dish. Use your finger or a fork to shift the potatoes so they are more or less evenly spaced in the dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced evenly with a fork. Allow to cool for 15 minutes so the cream can set and the potatoes won’t be too hot when you dig in. Slice and serve.
Recipe via The Naptime Chef
