My mom started making this recipe years ago when we would have company over for dinner. Using a muffin tin to form the gratins not only makes the perfect portion size but also makes for really nice plating presentation. Mom used a mandolin to get her potato slices nice and thin where as I do not have a mandolin so I chopped mine by hand. Both are equally delicious, although I am sure that the mandolin is quicker.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
-2 Idaho Potatos
– 1/2 cup Half and Half
-1 Tbls Butter, softened
-1 clove Garlic, smashed
-1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
-2 Tbls minced Chives
-1 tsp Salt
-3/4 tsp Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare 8 of the muffin tins by brushing butter into the muffin cups.
In a small saucepan, heat milk with crushed garlic clove over low heat to infuse the garlic flavor until warm. Set aside.
With a mandolin, slice potatoes very thin. Place two or three potato slices in each cup then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue layering potato slices and seasoning after every three slices until the muffin cups are almost full. Pour 1 Tbls of half and half over each of the muffin cups.
Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle 1 Tbls gruyere cheese over of each potato stack. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Once out of the oven run a butter knife around the edges of each muffin cup to removed the potatoes from the pan. Serve on a platter and sprinkle with chopped chives.
