Cheesy Mini Potato Gratin Stacks
Cheesy Mini Potato Gratin Stacks
Layers of thinly sliced potato baked in a muffin tin with cream, cheese, garlic and thyme, the best bit are the crusty caramelized cheesy edges.
Ingredients
- Oil spray
- 2.4 lb starchy potatoes, large long ones
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 3/4 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 2.5 oz gruyere cheese sliced into 12 squares to fit into muffin tin (or other melting cheese)
- 3/4 cup gruyere cheese (or other melting cheese), shredded
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (all oven types).
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Brush muffin tin with butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat then use what you need to lightly brush the muffin tin holes with butter. (Remaining butter is for the cream sauce)
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Cream sauce: Into the remaining butter, add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add cream and salt then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 seconds, then remove from stove and keep warm.
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Slice potato: Peel potatoes. Trim base so it stands upright. Then cut into cylinder shapes that fit into a muffin tin. Cut into 2mm/ 1/10″ slices using a mandolin or sharp knife.
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Assemble stacks: Place potato slices into the muffin tin so they go halfway up the muffin tin holes. Try to match by size to make them into neat stacks.
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Cream: Drizzle each potato stack with 1 tsp of cream mixture – use 1/2 of the mixture.
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Cheese slice: Top with cheese slice.
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Top with potato, cream then thyme: Top each stack with remaining potato slices so the height is about 1/3″ above the rim of the muffin tin (they sink once baked). Drizzle with remaining cream mixture and sprinkle with most of the thyme (reserve some for topping).
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Baked 40 minutes: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until potato is cooked through. A small sharp knife should go through without any resistance.
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Top with cheese, bake 10 minutes: Remove from oven, sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake without foil for 10 minutes or until golden.
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Garnish with thyme: Sprinkle with remaining thyme.
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Stand 5 minutes then remove to serve. Use a tablespoon or butter knife to help scope them out.
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To Serve: Dinner – serve as a side. Finger food – serve warm as is. Breakfast – serve with eggs and bacon.