Individual Potatoes au Gratin (Scalloped Potatoes)

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Individual Potatoes au Gratin (Scalloped Potatoes)

The French word “gratin” is derived from the English word “grate” and means to scratch or scrape.  Back in the 16th century, it referred to the crusty part of any cooked food that stuck to the side of the pot or pan and had to be scraped (“grate”) loose so as not to waste it.  Nowadays, no-stick cooking sprays have made this task a lot easier for us!

The term “gratin” refers to both the food being prepared as well as the dish in which it is being cooked.  Gratins can be baked in large or individual quantities, but in either case, they require a wide, shallow dish.  The food being cooked is usually cooked slowly in a liquid (such as milk, cream, wine, or stock), which results in the top developing a crisp, golden brown crust.

The crust can also be achieved by sprinkling dried breadcrumbs, cheese or a combination of both over the food to produce the signature golden top.  When this is done, the dish is referred to as a “gratinee” (grah-tee-NAY) or an “au gratin”.

The French word for layering very thinly sliced food in a casserole then baking it in cream or a creamy sauce is “escalope”, which is where Americans got the term “scallop”.

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, freshly grated
• 1/2 Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 3 to 4 small to medium Yukon Gold potatoes

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and finely dice the garlic and shallot. Place the diced garlic and shallot in a large bowl along with the heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and thyme. Stir to combine and set aside.

Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/8” thick rounds with a knife or mandolin.

Place 1/2 tablespoon pats of butter in each mold of a muffin pan, then a slice of potatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, then cheese and scallions.  Repeat layers, potato, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, aged white cheddar cheese, scallions until muffin tin is filled. The number of layers will vary depending on the thickness of the cut. Stack them tightly but not any higher than the muffin tin itself.

Next, spoon the heavy cream mixture into each muffin tin over the potato slices, being careful not to overflow and top each mold with another pad of butter. Loosely cover the muffin pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes.

Remove the foil and carefully top each muffin tin with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven without foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown, the potatoes are tender, and the liquid has absorbed.

Allow to cool in the pan for an additional 5 minutes, then carefully slide a knife around the edges to loosen, then remove and serve.

Tools Used:

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