Potato Gratin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. I like to use a glass (Pyrex) pan with this dish. It makes it easy to see when the potatoes are finished cooking

Press the garlic clove with a garlic press or chop it very fine

Grate the 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg - I am over the moon for fresh nutmeg - you can easily find it in a grocery store, co-op or local spice store. I love the fragrance and super fresh flavor. If you don't have fresh, simply replace it with 1/8 tsp jarred nutmeg

Grate the cheese. I recommend a combination of Gruyere and Cheddar cheese in this dish. I think it creates a perfect balance of flavor. My favorite Wisconsin cheesemaker (Wood River) has a Gruyere/Cheddar combo cheese, as does Trader Joe's. If you can't find it (or don't like it) simply use all Cheddar

Mix the 3 cups of half & half, the pressed garlic clove, the bay leaf and the 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg in a large pot

Wash, peel and slice the potatoes. I use my Oxo microplane for this dish - it's fast and easy. (Do use the guard - I learned this one the hard way!). If you don't have a microplane, just use a knife to slice the potatoes bout 1/8" thick

Place the potato in the half & half mixture as you slice them, to keep the potatoes from turning brown

Add the 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper to the mixture

Bring the potatoes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens from the starch of the potatoes

Turn off the heat. Taste the half & half mixture - adjust the seasonings as needed - you may want more salt, pepper or nutmeg

Remove the bay leaf - (that's never a good surprise in a bite of delicious potatoes!)

Ladle about a 1/2 cup of the half & half into the bottom of the greased pan

Using slotted spoon, spoon the potato slices into the pan

Ladle the leftover half & half from the pot into the baking dish - just until the liquid covers the potatoes - you may not need to use it all

Smooth the mixture in the pan so it's evenly distributed

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the potatoes. Bake the potatoes for 25-30 minutes. Just until the potatoes are set, and the liquid has been absorbed

Let the potatoes rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. I often make this dish the night before, let it cool completely, cover with foil, and then re-heat it in a 325 degree oven with the foil on for 20-30 minutes.

Serve with your favorite meat dish. The potatoes are fabulous with turkey, ham and, of course, a Beef Tenderloin (recipe on the blog!) Enjoy!