My first thought when I pulled this dish out of the oven was that there is no way I can post it. It looks burnt, and it’s a huge mess. But then I tasted it, and it was delicious. The deliciousness pushed me to post it. I figured I could share my mistakes with world so that they are not repeated.
I was inspired by all the bloggers who made potato gratin for French Fridays With Dorie to make one myself. I don’t have the book (yet) so instead I used a recipe I already had. Potato gratin is very easy in theory. Slice potatoes, pour cream over them, top with cheese, bake. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Milk and cream bubble when heated, so don’t fill the baking dish up to the top (unless you like scrubbing burnt cream out of your oven). Another option is to place a baking sheet that won’t warp under the baking dish to catch any overflow. Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible so that they cook evenly, no one likes a raw potato. Also, the cheese can be put on the gratin midway through the baking so that you don’t end up with a burnt looking gratin like mine.
Next up, an award!
When I started this blog I had no expectation that anyone would read it. It was something I decided to do for myself. Through it I have discovered some wonderful blogs and people and I happy (and shocked) to say that one of those people has been kind enough to give me a blog award. Patty of Patty’s Food has passed on the One Lovely Blog Award to me, and I am very honoured.
There are a few bloggers out there whose posts just make me happy when I read them. They are funny and kind and amazing cooks. I hope you take some time to check them out if you don’t already know them.
Janice of Kitchen Heals Soul
Roxan of Kitchen Meditation
Heather of Pretty Peas
Azmina of Lawyer Love Lunch
Sarah of Baking Serendipity
Potato Gratin
- 2 lbs potatoes, sliced thinly
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- one pinch dried rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- cheese, grated to cover
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- In a large saucepan, cook potato slices, cream, milk, garlic and seasonings until the milk starts to boil. Stir very gently so that the potato slices don’t break.
- Discard the garlic cloves and pour potato and cream mixture into a baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with cheese and bake for 20 more minutes.
- Let cool (the gratin will still look liquidy when first pulled out of the oven, but will set as it cools.
Enjoy!
What She's Having 
Congratulations on your blog award!!! As for the gratin dish, you should check out some of Julia Child’s early PBS videos. Even the best have had recipes mishaps. The important thing is that it was delicious and pleased the taste buds.
GOOD – someone else who blogs and makes messes like me! Did you pick off the cheesy edges and eat them like I would? I always say messy doesn’t hurt the taste :-)
I know! Doesn’t it seem like everyone with a food blog never messes anything up? And yes, I totally ate the cheesy edges, they’re delicious!
The crispy browned cheese layer on top looks so good!
And thanks for the award!
I think this is beautiful! It looks REAL, juicy and flavorful. The photo makes you want to eat it. I don’t think perfect photos are actually as enticing as something like this; bravo! And how exciting that you got an award. You deserve it. Congratulations for having the courage to forge ahead with a picture you were unsure about. The recipe sells itself!
If it tastes that good, there is no way this is not blogworthy! I think it looks incredible, all messy and pouring down the edges of the pan!
Congrats on the award! Love the messy dish. Looks all ready for someone to dig in.
Thank you for passing on the award! I love messy dishes like these. Somehow I just know they will be fantastic :)
messy or not, it doesn’t matter. just by looking at the browned top makes me drool for it! it looks delicious! btw, congrats on the award :)
Aww, BIG thank you for thinking of me! I’m totally in the same boat as you… I never thought anyone would actually read my blog – not that i’m complaining!!!
Great job with this gratin. I love how the cheese has oozed over the edges. I would totally peel it off and eat it.
Well I just had to stop myself licking the screen. That looks like the tastiest thing ever.
This sounds and looks awesome!
Congrats on the award!
This is totally blogworthy, if you ask me. It’s like all that creamy, cheesy deliciousness couldn’t be contained within a casserole, and if that isn’t a selling point for a gratin, I don’t know what is! :)
Seriously, good food porn should be just a little bit messy. I always want to dive right into a plate, where a perfectly plated and undisturbed dish just screams “don’t touch me!”.
(Also, I’m dying for a potato gratin now… it’s been ages since I’ve made one!)
i love how pretty that mess it! yum!
Love the idea of infusing the milk and cream with the garlic. I make this dish every year for Christmas Eve with friends–I may just have to surprise them with a new version!
This is the first Potato Gratin recipe that has ever tempted me. 4 years of boarding school and 4 years of college dining hall food, I never thought I would voluntarily eat this dish but you have totally changed my mind with this picture. Can’t wait to try it.
This “mess” looks so tempting I can’t stop looking at it and dreaming of how it will taste! Crisp cheesy goodness…