When I spotted this recipe in the Brys Estate Winery newsletter, I knew we had to give it a try. I love a good potato leek soup, which made this potato leek gratin recipe sound so good.
The recipe, created by Patrick Brys, is pretty straight forward. Instead of Gruyere, we used a blend of fresh grated Jarlsberg and Fontina cheeses. The dish can be made ahead of time and popped into the oven in time for your guests to eat, so you're not fussing in the kitchen with prep.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, sliced thin
- 2-3 leeks, well cleaned, white and pale green parts only, sliced into 1/4 inch strips (about 4 cups)
- 8 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 - 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced potatoes, cream, salt, pepper and about 2 1/2 cups of the Gruyere. Mix well, set aside.
In a medium saute pan, add the butter, olive oil and sliced leeks and saute over medium heat until the leeks begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the leeks to the mixing bowl with the potatoes. Mix well.
Butter the inside of your favorite casserole dish. Add the potato mixture to the dish and use a rubber spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of the gratin and place it in the oven.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are well cooked. Let set for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow it to firm up a bit before slicing.
We really enjoy the wines of Brys Estate, located on Old Mission Peninsula, just a short drive from Traverse City. Their Sauvignon Blanc pairs nicely with fresh seafood. We served Brys' Pinot Noir with a Smoked Turkey on Thanksgiving. And the Cab Franc and Signature Red both stand up to your favorite meat dish.
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