Herbed Potato Gratin Recipes

HERBES DE PROVENCE POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel and wash the potatoes and slice them really thinly using a plastic mandoline.
• Generously butter a 12-inch ovenproof baking or gratin dish (about 2 1/2 to 3-quarts).
• In a small saucepan, bring the half-and-half, garlic cloves and herbes de Provence to a simmer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove the garlic cloves. Set aside.
• Arrange the potatoes in an overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish. Season the layer generously with salt and pepper. Scatter lightly with some of the grated cheese. Make another potato and cheese layer, finishing with a most generous cheesing.
• Press the layers down gently. Pour the half-and-half mixture over the potato layers and fill the dish up to the top of the potatoes. Cover the dish loosely with foil so it is not touching the cheese on top and bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and nicely browned.
• Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

ROASTED GARLIC AND HERB POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375*F. Place the garlic cloves in a small, ovenproof pan and drizzle them with the olive oil. Roast the garlic in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 45 minutes, until it is tender. Allow the garlic to cool for 10 minutes and then squeeze out the roasted garlic into a clean, medium-sized bowl.
• Mash the garlic with a fork until it's a smooth paste. Stir the crème fraiche, heavy cream, milk, salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and ground black pepper until the mixture is smooth. Stir the grated Gouda cheese into the herbed cream mixture.
• Lower the oven heat to 350°F Butter a large baking dish and spread 2/3 cup of the herbed cream into the bottom of the dish. Layer half of the potatoes into the dish, and spread half of the remaining herbed cream onto the potatoes, and repeat the same process one more time. Press down on the top layer of potatoes, cover the pan with foil or a lid, and bake the gratin for 90 minutes. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
• My Notes: This recipe calls for young Gouda cheese. Young Gouda can be easily identified by looking for a red or yellow wax wrapping. Aged Gouda, slighter bitter and stronger tasting, comes wrapped in black wax.