American Style Gratin Potatoes

 Ingredients: 1/2 kg potatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 25-35 g butter, 250 g liquid and unsweetened cream, 30 ml milk, salt and pepper to taste, Cheddar cheese to taste, oil for frying

We start the culinary adventure with a delicious dish, perfect for any occasion: potato gratin with Cheddar cheese. The first step is to prepare the oven, which we preheat to a medium temperature, slightly lower than usual. This will ensure even baking and a perfectly golden crust.

The potatoes, the stars of this dish, need to be peeled, washed well under a stream of cold water, and then sliced evenly. We recommend cutting them into thin slices, about 3-4 mm thick, for even cooking. After slicing, we let them sit in cold water for about 30 minutes. This step is essential to remove the starch from the potatoes, which will make them crispier after frying. After this interval, we drain them well and dry them with a clean towel to remove excess water.

In a large frying pan, we pour enough oil for frying and heat it over medium heat. We add the potato slices in two or three batches, being careful not to overlap them so that they fry evenly. The slices fry for about 4 minutes until they become golden and crispy. After removing them from the pan, we let them drain on a plate covered with paper towels to eliminate excess oil.

Meanwhile, we prepare the Cheddar cheese, grating it on a large grater. We also prepare the milk mixture by combining milk with heavy cream, resulting in a rich cream. Garlic, aromatic and flavorful, will be used to rub the sides of the dish in which we will prepare the gratin, providing an intense flavor to the final dish.

We start assembling the gratin: we place a first layer of fried potatoes in the prepared dish, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, then pour some of the milk mixture and sprinkle the grated Cheddar cheese. We continue with another layer of potatoes, followed by diced butter, salt, pepper, milk, and again, Cheddar. We repeat this process until we exhaust all the ingredients, ensuring that the last layer is milk, which will help form that desired crust.

The prepared dish is placed in the preheated oven and left to bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the gratin becomes golden and browned on top. The aroma that will spread throughout the house is simply irresistible! At the end, we sprinkle some chopped parsley or fresh rosemary on top, depending on preferences, and I chose to decorate with rosemary, which adds a touch of freshness.

We serve the gratin alongside sun-dried cucumbers, and the result will be a dish that everyone will love. It is no wonder that a second helping will be requested, allowing us to fully enjoy this delicacy!

 Tags:  garlic potatoes milk unt oil cheese gluten-free recipes vegetarian recipes