Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin

Recipe from Bon Appétit  | November 2005

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

The first time we had this creamy potato dish was at a gathering of friends during the Thanksgiving holiday.  My buddy, Jean, brought it to the table and set it amongst all the other dishes that were shared that day.  I have to say that this was the favorite portion on my plate. Jean told me she had gotten the recipe from Bon Appétit and so I filed that bit of information away until last night when we took dinner to a friend’s house for a birthday party. It was a cold night and so this dish was a comfort to us all.  Lost River Market & Deli has all the ingredients you need for this yummy dish.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed and thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cups whole milk (I used half and half because I had it on hand.)

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter. Layer the potato slices in prepared dish.  (I first layered half the Yukon gold potato slices, then layered the sweet potato slices and then finished the layering with the remaining Yukon gold potatoes.)  Bring milk and next 5 ingredients to boil in medium saucepan; pour over potatoes. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with foil. Bake until potatoes are tender and milk is almost absorbed, about 50 minutes.

Bring cream to boil in saucepan. Uncover potatoes, pour cream over, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake uncovered until top is golden brown in spots, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

I made the recipe just as it was written, but other recipe reviewers had made some modifications with good results:

·          Soy milk instead of regular milk with half and half for the cream

·          More garlic and added fresh sage

·          Parmesan cheese was sprinkled over the top

·          Zest of one orange to the cream before boiling

·          One reviewer said she pureed the leftovers along with cook winter squash, then added soy milk and vegetable broth and some curry powder to make a soup!