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Christmas: Old-Fashioned Potato Gratin

Source of Recipe


From "Frank Stitt's Southern Table"



List of Ingredients



• 4 russet potatoes
  
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
  
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
  
• 3 Tbsp freshly grated Comté cheese (or Gruyère)
  
• 3 Tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  
• 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Adjust the oven rack to the top position.
   
   
2. Peel the potatoes and slice them crosswise about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Place the potato slices in a bowl of cold water so they don't discolor.
   
   
3. Meanwhile, firmly rub the garlic clove all over the bottom and sides of a 10-inch gratin dish to coat it with the garlic juices. Allow to dry for a few minutes, then rub the bottom and sides of the dish with the butter.
   
   
4. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry. Arrange a layer of potatoes in a slightly overlapping fashion, like a splayed deck of cards, in the bottom of the gratin dish. Season with a good dash of salt and pepper and a little of each of the two cheeses. Continue layering the potatoes and cheese in this fashion, seasoning each layer and finishing with the cheese (you should now have at least 3 layers). Drizzle the cream along the sides of the dish, so as not to displace the cheese.
   
   
5. Place the potato gratin, uncovered, on the top rack and bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until the cream has been absorbed and the top is crispy and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
   
   Serves 6