French Potato Gratin with Leeks and Gruyere Cheese
What can you say about this French Potato Gratin with Leeks and Gruyere Cheese? How about extraordinary? How about insanely delicious? Maybe simply “yummmmmmmm”? All of these work for this outstanding dish.
This recipe doesn’t use a lot of ingredients but it makes up one of the most delicious gratins that I’ve had lately. The thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes get crispy up on the top layer, but stay soft and composed deeper into the cake. The cheese and leeks that run through each layer flavor this gratin just beautifully. And, oh my, that top layer, with the crispy potatoes and cheese is simply heavenly!
While you don’t need a mandoline for this recipe, I highly suggest it. It means that each slice will be the same thickness and will cook more evenly. There are many different types of mandolines, but this is the one that I like (Gramercy Kitchen Mandoline). Feel free to use a sharp knife or cheese slicer, although the cheese slicer might be a little unwieldy.
I like to serve this with Beef Tenderloin in Herbed Salt Crust and roasted asparagus for a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner. For more information on how to present a beautiful dinner, follow this link.
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French Potato Gratin with Leeks and Gruyere Cheese
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour & 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup créme fraiche
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 & 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 & 1/2 cups (5 ounces) Comté or Gruyère cheese, grated
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F with the rack positioned in the center of the oven.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in an 8-10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-proof heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted and golden, stirring frequently. Remove the leeks from the pan and set aside. Wipe out the pan.
Whisk the eggs, créme fraiche, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Put the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the edges of the milk start to bubble, remove from the heat. Slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture, whisking at the same time.
Add the remaining butter to the skillet and smear it around to coat. Arrange a layer of potatoes in a concentric circle on the base of the pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper. Pour 1/3 of the egg mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with 1/3 of the leeks and cheese. Repeat the layers twice more.
Cover the pan with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with parsley.
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