Potatoes Au Gratin

Potatoes au gratin is one of the best side dishes you can add to any dinner party. It is extremely rich and delicious. This recipe is bursting with flavor and will go down as one of the best things you make this year.

Ingredients:

• 3 large russet potatoes

• 1/2 large yellow onion

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 3/4 pound freshly grated gruyere cheese (cutaway the rind before grating. Save for later)

• 8 cloves of garlic minced

• 3/4 cup freshly and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

• 8 strips of bacon cooked and

• 1 sprig of fresh thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• Pinch of kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Slice onion into around 1/8 of an inch thick strips

• Add butter, onion, salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, and garlic to a medium-sized pot on medium-low heat

• Cook slowly and stirring often until the onion are soft (not browned)

• Add heavy cream, thyme, and rind from the gruyere cheese (if available)

• Slowly bring to a soft simmer and stir often for 10 minutes ( You are just wanting to infuse the cream with all the flavors. You aren’t looking for the cream to thicken)

• Cut your potatoes into 1/8 inch thick coins

• In a casserole dish, you are going to build your potatoes au gratin similar to a lasagna in this order. (Watch the video for exact layering) There should be a total of 4 potato layers

  • A thin layer of the cream sauce, to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom

  • Top cream sauce with a layer of your potatoes slightly overlapping with the potatoes laying lengthwise

  • A light amount of freshly cracked pepper (see video)

  • 1/4 Parmigiano Reggiano cheese spread evenly

  • 1/4 gruyere cheese spread evenly

  • 1/4 of crumbled bacon spread evenly

  • 1/4 of the cream sauce on top

• Do this layering again alternating the direction of the potatoes for each layer and pressing the potatoes down to compress the potatoes au gratin.

• Cover with Aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

• Remove the aluminum foil and put it under the broiler until the top is browned to your liking.

• Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving

Enjoy!