RECIPE: The Au Gratin discussion got me to find this again: REC: Au Gratinn Potatoes; delicious, simple. . .

RECIPE:
M

mistral

Well-known member
This is from White on Rice Couple and it is absolutely delicious and decadent. No butter, just good heavy cream. I made this last year for Christmas and it vanished in a moment and everyone wanted more. It reminds me of the Au Gratin Potatoes my husband and I had at a very nice steakhouse some years ago for our anniversary.

I doubled the recipe below and did not use the nutmeg; I am pretty sure I used the garlic, and used more of it, as we are all garlic fans here.

Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe

Yield: 6-8

Total Time: 2 hours

All ingredients are approximations. Learn to cook this recipe by feel and it becomes very easy to make smaller or larger dishes to suit the occasion.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. Potatoes (Peel, BUT do not rinse after slicing)

2 whole Garlic Cloves

1 - 1 1/2 T Sea Salt, or Kosher Salt

2 t fresh cracked Black Pepper

3/4 t freshly grated Nutmeg

2 1/2 c Heavy Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

1. Crack the garlic cloves break them up slightly then rub the insides of a 9"x11" baking dish. Set aside.

2. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes - @ 1/8" thick. Put  the sliced potatoes into a large bowl.

3. Season potatoes with sea salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Get your hands in there and toss the slices to coat evenly.  Slap a potato slice against your tongue to test for seasoning.  It should be noticeably seasoned but not overpoweringly so.

4. Layer potatoes into prepped baking dish, smoothing the top so everything is fairly level.  Pour cream over potatoes just to the point where you can press down on the top layer and the potato slices disappear under the cream.   Give a couple presses down on the potatoes then taste cream for seasoning again.  You should just marginally taste the salt.  Add a sprinkle more if needed.

5. Put in the oven and bake for a total of about 1 1/2 hours (larger batches will take longer, of course). Every 20 minutes or so, open oven and with the back of a large spoon, break the crust the cream is starting to form.  On the final "crusting breaking" the consistency of the cream should noticeably thicker and have absorbed into the potatoes a decent amount. For the final 20-30 minutes, leave everything untouched to form a golden top. Cream should be nearly all broke down and absorbed with just a bit of creamy, buttery-ness between the potato slices.

6. Remove from oven allow to cool a bit before serving.  It will retain a napalm-like heat for at least 10-15 minutes.

Read more at http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/potatoes-au-gratin-recipe/#oh1hKtJCQXvsQvd4.99

http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/potatoes-au-gratin-recipe/#oh1hKtJCQXvsQvd4.99

 
So...Semantics Hall Patrol roaming here...should these be

I thought the recipe didn't become "au gratin" unless cheese was added.

 
well. apparently I know squat. I thought scalloped was 'creamed

au gratin was "cheesed" but according to Wiki, it depends on what continent your brain is standing on.

9) In North America, the dish is referred to variously as scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, or au gratin potatoes. 10) In French-speaking Canada, the dish is referred to as patates au gratin. Australians and New Zealanders refer to it as scalloped potatoes or potato bake.

 
Au gratin refers to the crust created in the baking process. Sometimes enhanced by the addition of

crumb topping, sometimes including cheese, but not necessarily related at all to cheese. I guess more accurately, the method of cooking so that a crust is created. It's a French thing and I suspect lots of variations have evolved, but ....... you know.

 
Wondering.... can I prepare this dish this morning and cook tonight? Not sure if the russets will

turn dark or even soak up too much of the cream?

 
I think as long as the potatoes stay submerged they should be OK, but have never done it.

I know people soak them in water before frying to leach out some of the starch.

 
I did make ahead by a few hours, kept potatoes under the cream......

OMG this is an awesome recipe. Granted, you have to pay attention about every 20 minutes, which I did. Used one russet spud for the two of us and only enough cream to cover. I reduced the heat about midway, ( because I only used one potato) and pushed the spuds down into the cream, then let it brown the final 20 minutes. My Tweak: I added one tsp. of Piment d' espelette to the cream, whisked, and poured over the potatoes. The freshly grated nutmeg, the piment, the cream....what can I say.

 
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