Potato Gratin, GF & Low FODMAP

By MaryEllen

What do I crave alongside my roast beef, leg of lamb or baked ham? Potato Gratin, which is why we figured it was about time that we added one to our line-up. And it goes great alongside a roast chicken or turkey, as well.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 pounds (910 g) russet potatoes, peeled
• 3 cups (720 ml) lactose-free half-and-half, such as Organic Valley
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, optional
• Pinch freshly ground nutmeg, optional
• 1/4 pound (115 g) Gruyere cheese, grated (see Tips)

Details

Servings 14
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 55mins

Preparation

Step 1

Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Use butter to coat the inside of a 3-quart (2.8 L) shallow casserole dish and set aside.
Cut the potatoes into very thin 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices using a very sharp knife or a mandoline (see Tips). Keep them in rounds, if possible.
Place the potatoes in a wide heavy saucepan (I use a 3-quart/2.8 L) and add the half-and-half, salt, a generous amount of pepper and thyme and/or nutmeg, if using. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Carefully pour the mixture into prepared casserole dish. Use a silicone spatula to gently coax the potatoes and liquid into an even layer. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the top is golden and bubbling. The mixture might look a little loose, but don’t worry, it will firm up upon cooling. Place casserole on a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes to allow the gratin to achieve its maximum potato perfection. Serve warm or even at room temperature.

Tips

Cutting the potatoes as thin as recommended is a very important step. Pull out a ruler if you have to, to make sure they are thin enough or they will not cook properly. The beauty of a mandoline is that you can set it to the desired thickness and just got to town, knowing that all of your potatoes will be perfectly cut. You could also use a food processor fitted with the appropriate sized slicing disc.
You could play around with other types of cheese. Emmental or Comté would be good alternative choices. Plain Swiss doesn’t have enough sharpness, in my opinion, but use your own palate as a guide.