Note to the cook: Use more cheese with this recipe, if you want to, it won’t hurt especially on the top of the casserole. This is filling and rich and goes wonderfully with pork as well as beef, lamb or anything else. It also freezes and reheats nicely and great the next day. That’s helpful especially if you want leftovers for the rest of week. Your family will love it, when it’s finally finished. Here’s a thought, if you want to, you can saute pearl onions in butter and put them in with the potatoes and cheese. Another “heads up” just to let you know this recipe seems to have some wrinkles to it insofar as what should or should not be included. I leave that subject open and will let you decide. In any event, I’ve added some the “option” ingredients. Pick and choose or just ignore them and keep to Julia’s version.
Gratin Jurassien (Scalloped Potatoes With Heavy Cream and Cheese)
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 lbs red or gold potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons butter, no salt clarified
1 cup grated emmenthaler cheese or gruyere
1 1/4 cups whipping cream, room temperature
1/2 cup milk, if needed, boiled and kept warm
black pepper
Options:
Use Morbier or Comté cheese instead
(Fotnote: Comté cheese sometimes called Gruyère de Comté is delicious! Factoid: It has been produced since the time of Charlemagne so there must be something good to it)
Add 1 cup of sliced onions
Add 1/4 c vin blanc or a muscade
Add a medium smoked sausage or bacon strips
Directions
Slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slice.
Place in bowl and cover with cold water.
Let soak for at least an hour.
Drain well and pat dry.
Heat oven to 300°F.
Using 1 T of the butter coat the bottom and sides of a 10 inch, 2″ deep casserole.
Arrange potatoes in layers, after each layer add cheese, pepper and small amount of butter.
Repeat to use all the potatoes, finishing the top with cheese and the last of the butter.
Heat the cream, VERY GENTLY, until butter begins to appear.
Immediately pour the cream over the potato layers. It should come up the side of the pan about halfway, add milk if needed.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours until top is lightly browned.
The cream should have absorbed into the potatoes, which should be tender, not mushy. This is important as one oven’s behavior is different from another.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes, loosely covered.
ENJOY