Ingredients
Potato gratins — casseroles of sliced potatoes baked with aromatic flavouring — are a glory of the French dinner table. The top should be crisp and browned, but the inside delicate and tender. This is a marvellous dish to serve when entertaining because it can be made in advance.
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 1-11/2 hours
SERVES 6
1.5kg baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 250m1 unthickened cream
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
pinch of nutmeg, to taste (optional)
25g butter, plus extra for greasing, and seasoning
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Soak the sliced potatoes in cold water for 10-15 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain and pat dry on kitchen paper.
2. Butter the base and sides of a 1.7 litre gratin or baking dish — preferably a ceramic or earthenware one.
3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the cream into the bottom of the gratin dish and then top with a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle a handful of the onions on top, along with some of the garlic, nutmeg, butter, and seasoning.
4. Repeat this layering process with the remaining ingredients. End with a layer of potatoes and reserve about 1 teaspoon of the butter for the top. Pour the remaining cream over the gratin, then dot with the reserved butter and season.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake, uncovered, for a further 1 hour until vegetables are tender, have absorbed the cream and the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.