I love the gratin.
I havn't made then for a long time. I generally like to keep it simple. Maybe garlic, onions, herbs, cheese.
A gratin is very simple to make. The hardest part is cutting the potatoes the same thickness and having enough time to let it cook properly. With a little planing its very simple.
I used a med sized dutch oven, 8 med russets, ~2 cups of cream & half 'n half and 1 stick of butter. Seasoned with salt, white pepper and some of the nastiest bottled parm in existence. You'd probably do well to cut back on the butter, to say 1/2 a stick or 1/4 C
Peel and slice the potatoes about the thickness of a silver dollar or a toonnie. I used a japanese mandolin, very easy and useful. theyre used all over in restaurants and cost just 25$.
Dry off your potatoes if desired (i just shook them off in a collander) and make layers in your dish. season with decent amounts of salt and a little white pepper, place dabs of butter, layer again and so on.
I then poured in the dairy until i could barely see it. Then I pushed down on the whole thing, pressing out air and compacting it; a very important step.
On top I put the cheese though itd have been fine without it. Traditionally cheese is not used, the 'cheesy' flavour is achieved by the Maillard effect on the dairy.
I baked at 350 for about 1.5 hours. I put it on a jelly roll pan in case it spilled over. My dish was fairly deep so it wasn't really needed. There should be no more liquid except butter and the potatoes should be tender and giving yet not falling apart or turning into mush.
