Recipes › Yellow Potato › Yellow Potato and Leek Gratin
Yellow Potato and Leek Gratin
Thinly sliced yellow potatoes layered with sweet leeks and bathed in a rich cream and Gruyère sauce, baked until golden and bubbling. Yellow potatoes are ideal for gratin — they hold their shape through slow baking while absorbing the cream beautifully. An elegant, decadent side dish.
Yellow Potato is usually ready June to July. More yellow potato recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs yellow potatoes, thinly sliced (1/8-inch) on a mandoline or by hand
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced and washedOnions work
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups Gruyère cheese, shredded, dividedSwiss cheese works
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Contains: milk.
Method
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook leeks for 7 minutes until soft and sweet. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more.About 8 min
- Whisk cream with salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl.About 1 min
- Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer 1/3 of the potato slices, overlapping, on the bottom. Top with half the leeks and 1/3 of the Gruyère. Pour 1/3 of the cream over. Repeat layers, finishing with potato slices and remaining cream.About 10 min
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil, scatter remaining Gruyère on top, and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 more minutes until deeply golden and a knife slides easily through the potatoes.About 65 min
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. The gratin slices more cleanly after resting.About 10 min
Tips
- A mandoline gives even slices that cook uniformly — guard your fingers
- Don't pre-boil the slices; raw potato in the cream is correct for gratin
- The 10-minute rest after baking allows the cream to set so it slices cleanly
Ring the changes
- Add a layer of thinly sliced ham between the potato and leek layers
- Use Fontina instead of Gruyère for a more melty, milder gratin
Keeping it
Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes.
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