Thursday, December 4, 2008

Potato-Mushroom Gratin



I have always been a sucker for creamy potato dishes, so when I read about the Potato-Mushroom Gratin in the December 2008 issue of Bon Appetit I knew I needed to try the recipe out. Variations of potato gratins are always popular at my house, and adding mushrooms was a great enhancement I wouldn't have thought of on my own. This was a pretty simple dish, and I just walked around the grocery store with the magazine guiding me when I decided to make this last night.


I tweaked it enough that it became my own creation, but the following Bon Appetit recipe was my guide. I added thinly sliced shallots to each layer, which added a nice flavor. I did 1/2 Parmesan cheese and 1/2 emmentaler cheese, but only because that's what was in the fridge. The combination was nice, but I might stick with just Parmesan if I managed to plan better next time! The only other change I did was to use 2% milk instead of heavy cream, because I had some 2% milk left over from baking that I wasn't planning to drink. I wouldn't recommend this substitution, because it turned out runnier than I would have liked. Next time I make this I think I'll use fat free half and half, because it will have a better texture while still being lighter than heavy cream. I felt like my first stab at this dish was not perfect, but the flavors were enough to make up for the slightly watery texture. I have a feeling this dish will be just about perfect with a few adjustments next time.




Potato-Mushroom Gratin, from Bon Appetit December 2008

- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for mushrooms
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus additional for mushrooms
- 1 1/4 cups (or more) heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces), divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces fresh crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 13x9x2-inch glass or oval ceramic baking dish with 2 tablespoons oil. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes, slightly overlapping, in dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 1/3 cup cream over; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 1/3 of potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/3 cup cream, and 1/4 cup cheese 2 more times. Bake uncovered until potatoes are tender, adding cream by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature.

Sprinkle thyme and garlic slices over gratin. Toss mushrooms in medium bowl with 3 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Arrange mushroom slices atop gratin around edge of dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup cream; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Continue to bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and potato edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 1 hour in dish; cover and chill. Before serving, cut gratin into 10 pieces. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Cover with foil and rewarm in 350°F oven, 10 to 15 minutes.

2 comments:

Sarah said...

I do love adding mushrooms to almost every dish. Although this didn't turn out quite as you would have liked, I'm sure the next time will be great with the changes you suggest!

What's Cookin Chicago said...

I love mushrooms and even with potatoes - thanks for sharing this!