To help lighten her load, I’ve signed up to bring punch, stuffing, bread, and this potato gratin, a dish my mother has served at nearly every big holiday gathering for as long as I can remember, one that often steals the show no matter what it’s beside, turkey or otherwise. It comes from Chez Panisse Vegetables, which offers a number of enticing combinations — potato with turnips or celery root or leeks or sweet potato — but we almost always use potatoes exclusively and keep the seasonings simple too: salt, pepper, thyme and just a dash of freshly grated nutmeg. Submerged in a mixture of equal parts heavy cream and chicken stock, topped with a mixture of Gruyère and parmesan cheeses, these potatoes emerge irresistibly crispy on top and creamy underneath. This gratin couldn’t be easier to throw together, and you can’t mess it up. I promise. Hope all of your Thanksgiving preparations are going well. My mother swears by red potatoes. I’ve learned not to question. A mandoline makes quick work of the slicing, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Rub baking dish with butter and garlic: Layer potatoes overtop: Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves: Add another layer of potatoes and season in the same manner: Submerge the potatoes with equal parts heavy cream and chicken stock…: .. then top with a combination of grated gruyère and parmesan cheeses:
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour: Seriously, I could totally skip the turkey. 4.9 from 15 reviews I love the simplicity of the Chez Panisse Vegetables’s recipe, so I’ve written this one out exactly as it appears in the book and have offered some guidance on quantities/timing below: “Rub an earthenware gratin dish with smashed peeled garlic and butter. Layer overlapping slices of potato cut 1/8-inch thick. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Make another layer of potato slices and season again. Moisten with cream, cream and chicken stock, or milk to the top level of the top layer of potatoes. According to taste, sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese, and distribute thin shavings of butter on top. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour in a preheated oven at 375ºF until nicely browned.
Make it Ahead
You can make this ahead of time two ways:
