Classic Potato Gratin Recipes

CREAMY AU GRATIN POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a medium casserole dish.
• Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

CLASSIC POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish, and set aside.
• Whisk together cream, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg in a small bowl, and set aside. Toss potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
• Arrange one-third of potatoes in buttered dish, overlapping slices. Sprinkle with one-third of the cheese. Repeat two more times with remaining potatoes and cheese (end with a cheese layer). Pour reserved cream mixture over top layer. Gently shake dish back and forth to distribute evenly.
• Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake until bubbling and well browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel potatoes, and place in a bowl of water to prevent discoloring. Rub inside of a 9-by-12-inch oval baking dish with cut sides of garlic. Heat cream, milk, nutmeg, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around edge. Season with pepper. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick; transfer to a bowl. Pour warm cream mixture over top. Mix well, using your hands to separate and coat potatoes, and transfer to prepared dish. Gently push potatoes down, and pour cream mixture from bowl over top. Sprinkle with Gruyere. Bake (with a baking sheet placed on the rack below to catch drips) until potatoes are fork tender and top is bubbling and brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

CLASSIC POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Using a very sharp knife, a mandoline, or th slicing blade on a food processor, cut the potatoes into uniform 1/8-inch slices (no thicker).
• Put the potatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic.
• Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until the cream boils, stirring occasionally (very gently with a rubber spatula so you don't break up the slices).
• When the cream boils, pour the mixture into a 2 1/2- or 3-qt.
• baking dish.
• If you don't want a tender but garlicky surprise mouthful, remove and discard the garlic cloves (I leave them in, they're delicious!).
• Shake the dish to let the slices settle and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
• Bake until the top is deep golden brown, the cream has thickened and bubbled, and the potatoes are extremely tender when pierced with a knife, about 40 min.
• Don't worry if the dish looks too liquidy at this point; it will set up as it cools a bit.
• Before serving, let the potatoes cool until they're very warm but not hot (at least 15 min.) or serve them at room temperature.
• Note: This is also great for breakfast, barely re-warmed in the microwave.