Every month, I’m lucky enough to get the newest Bon Appetit in my mailbox (subscribe here). I always look through it and bookmark all the recipes I want to try. There are way too many, so I like to try at least one recipe from each issue. Back in November, I saw a recipe for a gratin and knew I had to try it. I just didn’t know it would take me MONTHS to actually do it. Not that it was hard or anything, but there are just SO many recipes on my to do list that I don’t always get around to making some until way later than I want. And sometimes when new recipes come along and the ingredients are already in my pantry, older ones just get pushed aside (but never forgotten, because of course I write them down).
Does anyone know a good way to cure myself of this too-many-recipes-on-my-to-do-list syndrome? That doesn’t involve turning off food network or browsing cookbooks. Because otherwise I would be bored.
Well, all I can say is that I’m happy I finally got around to making this, even though it took a few months. Gratins are delicious, but adding the mushrooms to the potatoes made it SO much better. Definitely more of a meal than a side dish. You can serve it for lunch with a side salad, or with a white fish for dinner. Comfort food at its best, I’d say. Did I add that it’s easy? Especially if you slice the potatoes with a mandolin like I did.
Potato Gratin, previously: With rosemary, from Ireland
Potato Gratin with Mushrooms, Adapted (I basically halved the recipe, since I was feeding only two people) from Bon Appetit:
Ingredients:
- A few glugs of olive oil
- 1 leek, finely chopped
- 3/4 pounds assorted mushrooms, I used a mixture of button and baby bella
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon of salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
- 1/2 cup muenster cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet.
3. Clean and chop the leeks, and add to pan. Saute for 10-12 minutes until they soften.
4. Quarter the mushrooms and add them to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until the liquid evaporates, another 6 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Set the mushroom mixture aside.
6. Pat the potato slices dry.
7. Combine the milk in a medium saucepan with some sauce and pepper. Add potatoes and bring to a boil.
8. Lower the heat and simmer, until milk is reduced by half and potatoes are partially cooked, about 3 minutes. Stir often and watch closely, making sure the milk doesn’t burn.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Brush a baking dish with oil or butter.
11. Pour half the potato mixture into the bottom of the dish.
12. Spoon mushroom over in a single layer.
13. Cover with remaining potatoes.
14. Sprinkle with cheese.
15. Tent with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes, until the cheese browns. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
