Potato Gratin
Photo: Dreamyshade, CC BY-SA 3.0
Potato gratin is a dish of thin potato slices baked in cream under a browned crust of Alpine cheese. Two small steps make it work: rinsing the sliced potatoes to remove starch, then drying them well so the cream does not curdle. Lemon zest and garlic cut through the richness, and nutmeg goes on at the end. It suits roast lamb or chicken, or a green salad.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the potatoes very thinly, about ⅛ inch thick, using a mandoline if you have one so the slices are even, and drop them into a bowl of fresh water.
Swish the slices around to wash off the surface starch, then drain. Spread them on a wooden board and pat them thoroughly dry with a paper or kitchen towel, since leftover water can make the cream curdle.
Return the potatoes to a dry bowl and add the cream, chopped garlic, a generous pinch of salt and some pepper. Fresh thyme is a good optional addition. Peel the zest from the lemon and stir it in.
Mix well until every slice is coated in cream. Pile the potatoes into a buttered oven-proof dish, keeping them no more than about 4 slices deep.
Grate a generous amount of cheese over the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cheese and top potatoes are browned and the cream is bubbling and running down the sides of the dish.
Before serving, grate a good amount of fresh nutmeg over the cheese. Scatter over cooked pancetta or bacon if you want meat in it.
Make it personal.
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