A&M's Testing Notes:
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2
Leeks (medium size)
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1
Garlic Clove
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1 splash
Vermouth (or dry white wine)
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2 to 2 1/2 pounds
Boiling Potatoes (approx 6-7medium size potatoes such as Yukon Gold)
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1 to 1 1/4 cup
Grated Gruyere
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1 1/4 cup
Heavy Cream
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2-3 tablespoons
Unsalted Butter
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Kosher or Sea Salt (to taste)
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Pepper (to taste)
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1
small saute pan
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1
10 inch long / 2 inch deep baking dish.
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4-5
Shavings of Gruyere
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Ask the hotline about this step!Remove roots and green leaves from leeks. Wash and dry the white part of the leek.
Ask the hotline about this step!Split leeks in half lengthwise. Then chop crosswise into thin to medium size half moon crescents. Dice garlic
Ask the hotline about this step!Sauté leeks slowly in approximately one tablespoon of the butter on medium low heat in a nonstick pan until soft but not brown (about 6-8 minutes). Add garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add a dash of vermouth (or white wine) and sauté a minute more until most of the vermouth (white wine) has evaporated. The leeks should be damp, but not swimming in vermouth (white wine). Remove leeks from heat, cover and let sit.
Ask the hotline about this step!Peel and slice potatoes evenly into approximatly 1/8 inch slices. Dump slices in cold water as you slice so that the potatoes don’t turn brown. (note: I peel and slice each potato individually rather than peeling them all first so that the peeled potatoes spend less time sitting around possibly turning brown.)
Ask the hotline about this step!Grate a block of gruyere so that you have 1 cup of grated gruyere.
Ask the hotline about this step!Lightly butter the baking dish. Drain potatoes taking care not to break them.
Ask the hotline about this step!Lay down one layer of potato in the dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle with sautéed leek mixture. Then sprinkle with some of the gruyere. Finally dot with one or two bits of butter (optional). Repeat sequence until all potatoes are used. The last layer should be just a layer of potatoes.
Ask the hotline about this step!Slowly pour cream all over potatoes in dish. Finish with a few shavings of gruyere which will give a nice color and a little bit of crust. Bake for approximately 1 ¼ to 1 1/2 hours. Cream should simmer and may even gently bubble, but it should never boil (boiling will cause the cream to separate and curdle). It’s done when it has a nice golden brown / orange color; the potatoes are tender but still hold their shape; and the cream has thickened and reduced slightly. Let cool for 15-20 min before serving.
Ask the hotline about this step!I made your gratin yesterday for a dinner party to go along with deer medallions. It was wonderful. Your steps were precise, the amounts exact and the taste delicious, just the exact creamy texture. Thank you.
I have potatoes and leeks at home...tomorrow I will buy the rest of the ingredients for this recipe - it looks wonderful...
Sounds wonderful ,will try this in a few days.
from freedfeld
I have a question about the recipe "Potato Leek Au Gratin" from AlexisC.
I have a question about the recipe "Potato Leek Au Gratin" from AlexisC.
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The recipe calls for two medium leeks. Our leeks were on the small side, so we used three.
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Most people clean leeks by slicing them in half lengthwise and rinsing them under running water. Amanda, having much leek experience, thinks they get cleaner by cutting them...
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... and then adding them to a bowl of water. She agitates them a bit, and then lifts them out of the (now dirty) water. It works like a charm, and is far more dependable than the other method!
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As you slice the potatoes, be sure to put them right into cold water. Potatoes oxidize and turn brown very quickly.
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After sautéing the leeks slowly, we add the garlic and a splash of vermouth.
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Assembly time! As Merrill dries the slices of potato, Amanda begins to (compulsively) lay down the slices in the dish.
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You pour the cream slowly over the potatoes, finish the dish with a few shavings of guyere, and into the oven it goes.
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This looks delicious. I'm going to try it (probably with lower fat-content half & half). Love leeks with potatoes. It was so nice to meet you at the book signing!