Potatoes au gratin is an interesting dish as it both works as a main course or as a side dish. As a main it has the ability to make you feel cozy, like you are wrapped in a warm blanket, snuggeling on the couch. It is like the solo artist on stage with nothing but his guitar. It’s all you could ever need or ask for. As a side dish, however, it still has this magic ability to still provice that warm, fuzzy feeling, but from the background. To stay with the music analogy, it is a bit like the guy who plays the drums in a band. No one really notices him, yet without him something crucial is missing. Potatoes au gratin lets the steak or a piece of chicken be the admired star on stage, but makes sure whoever eats it feels like they are witnissing an amazing culinary concert thanks to this wonderful unobtrusive side dish. I recommend using waxy potatoes as they provide the better texture to the dish. It is important not to cook them beforehand, otherwise you end with an undefined mash.
At a glance
- Servings: 4
- Calories per serving: 696 kcal
- Preparation time: 30 min
- Time from start to finish: 1 hs 10 min
Ingredients
- 3 lbs/1.4 kg of waxy potatoes
- Butter for the casserole dish
- 17 ounces/500 ml cream
- 2 ounces/60 grams of grated Emmentaler cheese
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
- A dash of nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- Salt and pepper
Start by cutting the peeled uncooked potatoes into very thin slices. Butter a casserole dish and then arrange the slices in it in a way that they slightly overlap.
Next whisk the cream, thyme, nutmeg, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour it over the potatoes. Drizzle the cheese on top and then bake it in the preheated oven for 45 minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.