As Thanksgiving approached, I found myself contemplating what to make for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving. With only two hours to spare, my mind raced through options like mashed potatoes, cheesy mac and cheese, or a puff pastry brie bite. A memory surfaced from culinary school of Potato Gratin. Potato gratin is a creamy dish made with thinly sliced potatoes that are layered in hot cream, butter, and cheese, then baked until bubbling. Curious, I revisited the recipe and was surprised by its simplicity. After a successful trial run with my family, where we polished off the whole pan, I declared it a perfect addition to my Thanksgiving spread. So here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
– ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
– 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut as thin as possible (⅛ or ¼ inch thick)
– 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
– 2 cups heavy cream
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 shallot, julienned (thinly sliced)
– 1 teaspoon minced thyme
– Salt and pepper, to taste
– ⅛ teaspoon paprika
– ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
– ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Butter a baking dish with about one tablespoon of the softened butter.
3. In a small pot, heat the remaining butter and add the minced garlic and shallots. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently.
4. Add the paprika, mustard powder, and nutmeg. Mix well.
5. Pour in the heavy cream and stir until the mixture comes to a simmer. Turn off the heat and stir in ¼ cup of the grated Gruyère cheese until melted.
6. In the prepared baking dish, arrange the sliced potatoes in layers, then pour the cream mixture over the potatoes until they are fully covered.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
8. Add the remaining Gruyère cheese on top and return to the oven until the cheese is golden brown and delicious.
Happy Thanksgiving! Look out for a video coming soon!
