3882. HERBED GRUYERE SCALLOPED POTATOES and BACON AU GRATIN

Serves: 8


2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
2 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter, cut into 8 cubes


Spiced Cream
3 cups heavy cream
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives ( or tsp dried)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or ½ tsp. dried)
¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Add the "Spiced Cream" ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes while you grease a 9x13 casserole dish and peel and slice potatoes into 1/8 inch slices. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl.

Spoon just enough of the herbed cream that has been simmering to cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour the remaining herbed cream over the potatoes and gently toss to coat.

Using a slotted spoon, layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato/onion slices (the slotted spoon will allow you to leave most of the cream in the bowl). Lightly season the layer of potatoes with freshly cracked salt and pepper (in addition to salt and pepper listed in ingredients). Layer 1 cup of the cheese, 1/2 of the bacon then top with 1/3 of remaining cream. Repeat layers.

Top the casserole with remaining potato/onion slices and pour over remaining cream. Dot the potatoes with cubed butter.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for one hour. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese then continue to bake, uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Test the potatoes to make sure they are tender. Continue to cook if necessary (will depend on how thin you cut your potatoes). When potatoes are done, broil until golden brown. 


bacon recipe source: Jen, Carlsbad Cravings (@carlsbadcravings), June 13, 2014

2209. POTATO GRATIN with BACON, GREEN GARLIC and GRUYERE

serves 6 to 8


½ cup bacon, cut in 1/8-by-1/8-by-2-inch sticks
¼ cup minced green garlic, white and light green parts only
1¼ cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds russet potatoes
1 cup grated Gruyère

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it just starts to brown. Stir in the green garlic, and then add the cream. Heat until just warm. Season generously with salt and pepper. (It should taste a bit oversalted, in order to season the potatoes.)

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Overlap about a quarter of the slices along the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan.

Pour about a quarter of the garlic-bacon cream over the potatoes, making sure the bacon is evenly distributed. Repeat making layers with the remaining potatoes and cream. Press the potatoes gently to compact them. Sprinkle with the Gruyère and bake until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are just tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Daniel Patterson, "Garlic Defanged" | "Food: The Way We Eat," The New York Times, May 18, 2008

1610. JERSEY ROYALS GRATIN with BACON and WATERCRESS

serves four


250 grams back bacon, roughly chopped
250ml half fat crème fraîche
150ml vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, crushed
750 grams Jersey Royals new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
100 grams bag watercress, roughly chopped
50 grams Gruyère, grated

Place the bacon in a large, non-stick frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned.

Add the crème fraîche to the pan, then stir in the stock and add the garlic. Bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, bring to a simmer then cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to reduce the liquid slightly. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Remove from the heat and stir in the watercress. Pour into a warmed 1.5-litre ovenproof dish (or use the frying pan if the handle is heatproof) and top with the cheese. Place under a preheated hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Serve with more watercress, some cucumber strips dressed with a little balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice, and some warmed bread to mop up the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Waitrose, Online Grocery Shopping, Waitrose Limited, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA, UK

1504. ASIAGO, POTATO and BACON GRATIN

makes six servings


1 1/2 pounds peeled Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon salt, divided
cooking spray
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain. Sprinkle potatoes evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside and keep warm.

Heat a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sprinkle flour over shallots. Gradually add 1/2 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat 9 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, Asiago, chives, pepper, and bacon.

Arrange half of potato slices in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour half of cheese sauce over potato slices. Top with remaining potato slices and cheese sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light, April 2004

1403. POTATO GRATIN with BACON and THYME

makes 6 servings


1 large head of garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium onions, halved lengthwise, each half cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, divided
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off top 1/2 inch from head of garlic. Wrap garlic in foil and roast until soft, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic cloves into small bowl; mash with fork. Cover and reserve.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of onions and 1 tablespoon thyme and cook until slightly softened, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Add remaining onions and sauté until very soft, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until deep golden brown, stirring frequently, about 40 minutes longer. Set aside.

Sauté bacon in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until bacon is beginning to crisp around edges, about 4 minutes. Pour off drippings from pan. Add cream, 1 tablespoon roasted garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme; simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and thinly slice potatoes with mandoline or knife. Spoon 1/2 cup cream mixture over bottom of 8x8x2-inch metal or ceramic baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of potato slices over cream, overlapping as necessary. Sprinkle with pepper and 1/3 teaspoon coarse salt. Spread half of caramelized onions over potatoes. Spoon half of remaining cream mixture over onions. Cover with half of remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with pepper and 1/3 teaspoon salt. Spread remaining onions over potatoes. Spoon all but 2 tablespoons cream mixture over onions. Cover with remaining potato slices. Sprinkle with black pepper and remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt. Drizzle with remaining cream mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, then foil.

Bake until potatoes are tender when pierced with knife (pierce knife through foil), about 45 minutes. Carefully remove foil and plastic wrap (steam will be released). (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Bake until top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer (or about 15 minutes if at room temperature). Let stand 10 minutes. Serve.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, February 2004

60. TARTIFLETTE de COCOTTE (POTATO GRATIN with CHEESE and BACON)

makes four to six servings


3 Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut lengthwise into eighths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tabelspoons canola oil
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. bacon (preferably applewood smoked) strips, stacked and cut into 1/4-inch wide pieces
1 cup small- to medium-diced seeded zucchini
1 cup small- to medium-diced seeded yellow squash
2 large Spanish onions, cut into small to medium dice
5 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (or substitute cremini or button mushrooms)
8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1 (8 1/2 oz.) wheel of Reblochon cheese, halved lengthwise to form 2 disks (you may have to buy an 8 1/2-oz. portion of a larger wheel; if you can't find Reblochon, substitute Gruyere or Muenster)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, tarragon, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, and the canola oil, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss until most of the herbs adhere to the potatoes. Put the potatoes into a shallow baking pan and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly at room temperature.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp but not well done, 6 to 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels, discarding all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and mushrooms to the reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 3 minutes (you may have to do this in batches; or use 2 pans, with slightly less fat in each pan). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved bacon.

Pour the vegetable mixture into a medium ovenproof casserole. Place the cheese disks on top, cut side down. Place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese has completed melted and the rind is left on top of the vegetables. Let the tartiflette cool at room temperature for 3 minutes, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve.


courtesy of: William Snell, Cocotte and LouLou restaurants, Brooklyn, New York / Meat and Potatoes, by Joan Schwartz. New York: Villard Books, 2003, pp. 149-150.