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Mark Bittman's Potato Gratin

Posted by The Serious Eats Team, November 24, 2008 at 8:13 PM

- Makes: 4 servings-

Time: About 1 hour

Based on raw potatoes (or other vegetables), cream, and cheese, this can be assembled and even baked up to 2 days in advance and either baked or reheated before serving. A mandoline makes slicing a breeze and gives you slices of consistent thickness with little work, which is the key to even cooking.

Other cooked vegetables you can use: alone or in combination--sweet potatoes, parsnips, celery root, sunchokes, cauliflower, rutabagas, any winter squash, burdock, celery, celeriac, carrots, or horseradish, which will mellow while cooking.

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, or a combination
1 pound potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cups grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Procedure

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the cream in a pot and heat until it's hot.

2. Layer the potatoes and cheese (be sure to end with cheese) in a large gratin or similar ovenproof dish; sprinkle every potato layer with a bit of salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour in enough hot cream to come about three-quarters of the way up the potato layers.

3. Put in the oven and cook, undisturbed, until the potatoes are tender (a thin-bladed knife will pierce them with little or no resistance) and the top is nicely browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes.

Potato Gratin with Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream. Substitute crème fraîche or sour cream for the cheese. (Spread it between the layers with a spatula or knife.)

Scalloped Potatoes. Omit the cheese; you'll need closer to 3 cups cream. Sprinkle 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs over the top after pouring on the cream in Step 2.

Baked Curried Potatoes. Substitute coconut milk for the cream and omit the cheese. Add 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced, and 2 teaspoons curry powder. Sprinkle the top with shredded coconut and chopped cashews just before baking.

Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Thanksgiving Menu

Forty-Five Minute Roast Turkey
Turkey Gravy
Favorite Bread Stuffing
Cranberry Relish with Orange and Ginger
Potato Gratin
Wheat Berries with Walnuts
Raw Beet Salad
Braised and Glazed Brussel Sprouts

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Tags: fall recipes, Mark Bittman, recipes, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving sides