Potatoes Au Gratin

At a Christmas lunch with my friend Sonia, we had some yummy potatoes au gratin. A table mate asked for the recipe and the head chef came out and explained that their recipe would call for 100# of potatoes and would not convert to home cooking. She explained what ingredients were in it and that explained why it was so rich. I liked the taste but it was a bit greasy for me. I thought I would try my own version. It uses heavy cream. Tonight I tried it with half and half and that just does not cut it. You would have to add more cheese if you used half and half and that defeats the purpose so I think I will go back to using heavy cream. I asked my Hubby about our meals and which ones he liked and did not like. When I asked him which think I make that he does NOT want me to eliminate, he did not hesitate to say these potatoes. So, they will stay in the menu, though not frequently as they are high calorie. This is part of our plan to not uses boxes and mixes. Really, this takes no longer than making from a box and does not contain dehydrated potatoes and chemicals.


Here are all the ingredients - Heavy Whipping Cream, Havarti Cheese, Red Potatoes, Leek or Green Onions, Garlic, Salt and Pepper and Organic Salt Free Seasoning.

First I grate the potatoes, skin and all in an 8" square pan. I do it the old fashioned way with a hand cranked food processor that I will probably never give up for a Cuisinart!

Layer the potatoes about half way up the pan as in picture.

Sprinkle finely chopped leeks, minced garlic, salt and pepper and seasoning over the potatoes and toss gently with a fork to distribute the flavoring.

Pour 1 cup of Heavy Cream over the top of it, distributing it evenly in the pan.

Place four slices of Havarti cheese over the top of the potatoes.

Here you can see how it looks in the pan, so you will know if you did it right.

If you don't like it browned on top, you can cover with foil, removing it for the last 10 minutes. This was baked at 375* for about 45 minutes. Recipe below:

Potatoes Au Gratin (serves 4-6)

4-5 red potatoes

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 medium leek, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

salt

pepper

salt free seasoning

4 slices Havarti cheese

Preheat oven to 375*

Wash potatoes and leaving peelings on, slice in pieces using a food processor. If hand cutting, slices are about 1/8" thick. Place potatoes into an 8" square glass baking dish.

Salt the potatoes generously and pepper to taste. Use about 1 teaspoon of salt free seasoning. If you use a seasoning salt, adjust the salt amount accordingly. (This is also good with Italian seasoning or your favorite herbs. I have done it with Rosemary and Oregano as well.)

Wash and dice up the white part of a medium sized Leek. Green onions could be substituted. Place on top of potatoes.

Mince 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic. Place on top of potatoes.

Take a fork and gently toss the potatoes to distribute all the seasonings. Next pour 1 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream evenly over the top of the potatoes. Place 4 deli-sliced pieces of Havarti Cheese over the top of the potatoes. You can also use Fontina or another favorite softer cheese.

Cook in oven at 375* for about 45 minutes. Your time may vary. The potatoes need the time to cook through, so if you don't want your cheese to brown so much, you can cover with foil for part of the cooking time.

NOTE: I like to serve these with a lighter meal as they are pretty "heavy" on their own. If you want more sauce, you can use more cream. When they are made with cream you do not have to make a bechamel or add flour like most recipes for au gratin. Please feel free to use my recipe but do not post or distribute without permission. Thank you.