Monday Meal: Au Gratin Potatoes

Posted // 2012-04-16 -

At our house, this side dish is a real crowd-pleaser. I frequently make au gratin potatoes to serve with roasts, ham, stews, grilled meats and such. Who doesn't like a helping of creamy, cheesy spuds? This recipe is my go-to recipe for au gratin potatoes; it's simple, but sensational.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin

2 cups heavy cream

leaves from 4-5 thyme sprigs

1/4 cup minced fresh chives

1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (don't skimp on the cheese and use something inferior)

sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel and slice the potatoes almost paper thin. You could do this with a knife, but it's much quicker and easier with a mandolin or V-slicer.

Place the potato slices in a large bowl.

Combine the potatoes with all the other ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 Tbs. of the chives for later use.

Mix the ingredients well and turn into a casserole dish, flattening the potatoes out with a spatula.

Top the potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Remove the potatoes au gratin when the gratin is bubbly and the potatoes are tender. I usually turn on the broiler briefly at the end of the cooking time to nicely brown the potatoes and give it a little crust.

Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of minced chives.

Serve with your favorite entree and enjoy!