kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
Here is my favorite recipe - I had it this way at a restaurant called The Pheonix in Wilmington, North Carolina. I just adapted what I had in their recipe to my own recipe. And, of course, you do not have to use the tomatoes if you don't want, and you can substitute the Gruyere for any cheese your heart desires or you can leave the cheese out. (Blue cheese is a nice alternative also).
4 large Idaho Potatoes peeled and sliced paper-thin (a mandolin works great for this)
2 - 3 large garlic cloves (however much you like)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 pints whipping cream (or combination half and half and whipping cream)
sliced tomatoes (as many as it takes to make a single layer in middle of potatoes)
Couple dashes of nutmeg (optional)
I have also added some cayenne pepper to this along with some chopped green chilies for a whole different theme!!
Potatoes should be sliced at the last minute so that they do not darken; (do not soak in cold water). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat slowly the cream mixture with some salt and pepper and the cloves of garlic. Heat very slowly so the garlic flavor is released into the liquid. This cream mixture needs to be "over" salted and peppered because it will be seasoning the entire batch of potatoes. If you are unsure how much to put in do put more than normal in and then season the layers of potatoes a little as you put them in the pan.
Begin by rubbing the bottom and sides of a gratin dish (rectangle casserole/baker works fine) with the cut sides of the garlic (then add these to the cream mixture to heat).
Place layers of sliced potatoes on the bottom half, pouring a small amount of cream mixture and salting and peppering each layer (unless you know you over-salted the cream mxiture already) until you reach the middle of the pan.
On the very middle layer add your layer of sliced tomatoes and the Gruyere cheese.
Then finish the top half by again layering the potato slices, adding a little cream mixture and salting and peppering the different layers if necessary.
Pour the remaining cream mixture over entire pan, tapping gently to release any air bubbles and helping the cream mixture reach all the layers.
Place the pan, uncovered in the oven. (Put a baking sheet underneath to catch spills.)
Bake for 1 hour or more, until the top is browned and the cream has cooked down to a thick sauce. During the first 1/2 hour of cooking, using a broad spatula, push the top layers of potatoes into the cream every once in a while to ensure they don't dry out.
Let dish cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold, or just send it to me - :P
4 large Idaho Potatoes peeled and sliced paper-thin (a mandolin works great for this)
2 - 3 large garlic cloves (however much you like)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 pints whipping cream (or combination half and half and whipping cream)
sliced tomatoes (as many as it takes to make a single layer in middle of potatoes)
Couple dashes of nutmeg (optional)
I have also added some cayenne pepper to this along with some chopped green chilies for a whole different theme!!
Potatoes should be sliced at the last minute so that they do not darken; (do not soak in cold water). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat slowly the cream mixture with some salt and pepper and the cloves of garlic. Heat very slowly so the garlic flavor is released into the liquid. This cream mixture needs to be "over" salted and peppered because it will be seasoning the entire batch of potatoes. If you are unsure how much to put in do put more than normal in and then season the layers of potatoes a little as you put them in the pan.
Begin by rubbing the bottom and sides of a gratin dish (rectangle casserole/baker works fine) with the cut sides of the garlic (then add these to the cream mixture to heat).
Place layers of sliced potatoes on the bottom half, pouring a small amount of cream mixture and salting and peppering each layer (unless you know you over-salted the cream mxiture already) until you reach the middle of the pan.
On the very middle layer add your layer of sliced tomatoes and the Gruyere cheese.
Then finish the top half by again layering the potato slices, adding a little cream mixture and salting and peppering the different layers if necessary.
Pour the remaining cream mixture over entire pan, tapping gently to release any air bubbles and helping the cream mixture reach all the layers.
Place the pan, uncovered in the oven. (Put a baking sheet underneath to catch spills.)
Bake for 1 hour or more, until the top is browned and the cream has cooked down to a thick sauce. During the first 1/2 hour of cooking, using a broad spatula, push the top layers of potatoes into the cream every once in a while to ensure they don't dry out.
Let dish cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold, or just send it to me - :P
