RECIPE: Curried Potatoes Gratin

We don't have potatoes coming in the shares yet, but this is a recipe from the potluck that was much requested.

Courtesy of Chef Jean Christophe Novelli

Ingredients:

4 large starchy potatoes (NOT waxy potatoes, use Idaho or New York Russets)

3 garlic cloves chopped

1 tbs mild curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

8 oz. mature cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, Emmanthal, or Beufort work well)

3/4 pint (one and a half small containers) heavy cream (farm fresh if possible)

1/4 cup whole milk (again, farm fresh if possible)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 320 F.

2. Add garlic, curry, cumin, thyme, bay leaves, nutmeg, and cheese to a large bowl.

2. Clean potatoes, making sure to scrub all dirt from them. You want to keep the skins on for this dish since there is a lot of starch and nutrients in the skin and underneath it, and the starch keeps the dish together well and adds to the consistency.

3. Slice potatoes thinly with either a mandolin or a knife. If using a mandolin, do it over the bowl you'll mix everything in so you can catch all of the starchy liquid that comes out of them. If using a knife, try to retain as much of the starchy liquid from the potatoes when cutting them as possible and add to the bowl.

4. Mix everything in the bowl so far. Add cream, milk, salt and pepper and mix again.

5. Add potato mixture to a buttered baking dish.

6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until you can poke a knife into it with little resistance. IF the cream begins to split, the oven is too hot so lower the heat by 20 degrees.

Submitted by Seth Burroughs