Casserole Dish - Potato Au Gratin

These past few days have been so full, I need to set a schedule for other new dishes that worth to blog tho. I'd like to share my own version of creamy potato au gratin. Not sure whether it is specifically written in the Mastering the Art of French Cooking in the "gratin" section. Perhaps, the one that almost similar to mine is the "Gratin Dauphinois" as detailed in the Mastering the Art of French Cooking book. Well, this is just the potato au gratin I've made for years that goes very well with various of steak (including a simple Saikoro steak) or even just some veggy side dish.

Different with the Gratin Dauphinois, in my gratin, I cook (with butter in a sauce pan) the garlic, onions, heavy cream, milk, cheese and add some herbs as well as spices like rosemary, grated nutmeg, parsley indeed salt and pepper to taste. Why grated nutmeg? because it tastes better, with the perfect aroma of nutmeg. Do I have to remind you again on how precious nutmeg was? LOLOLOL. OK, since I don't have a mandolin, so I sliced the potatoes in very thin layer with super sharp knife (this is important unless you have a mandolin - I'd love to have a Santoku tho). To expedite the baking process, I boiled the thin sliced potatoes first until it's half-cooked then put (in layers) the potatoes and the cooked cream. Sometimes, I also add some bacons. The important part is that to ensure that the cooked cream is thick and savoury.

Recently, I've always added the champignons sautés au beurre to my potato au gratin. Just because our beloved teacher Julia Child LOL. Well, potato au gratin has been my comfort food for years, because it goes well with almost anything. For the love of food, happy eating and cooking. But, remember, a moment on your lips, stays forever on your hips - well said Rachel's sister. Just like Julia, unfortunately I don't really worry about my waistline LOL. I'm Milanti T. Kirana, Bon Appétit!

ps: le husband likes to imitate Julia's funny voice LOL.