Potato and Apple Gratin
The Restaurant
The Episode
It may sound surprising to combine apples and potatoes in a gratin, though just a slight hint of sweetness lingers and the flavors meld beautifully. Note that half of an apple will be used in the sauce, the remaining half will be sliced--along with another apple--for use in layers of the gratin. This will be an ideal side dish for steak or roasted chicken. If you prefer, you could omit the brie and use more Parmesan cheese for the middle layer of the gratin.
Ingredients for the gratin layers
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), well scrubbed and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 large Cosmic Crisp, Fuji or Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 4 to 5 ounces brie, cut into 1/8 inch slices
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
Apple-Onion Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1/2 large Cosmic Crisp, Fuji or Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled, and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1/4 lemon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 12-inch gratin dish or similar shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, or butter the dish.
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, apple, and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. The onion and apple shouldn’t brown, reduce the heat if needed. Add the chicken stock and lemon piece, bring the liquid to a boil and simmer to reduce by about one quarter, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and reduce by about half, a few minutes longer, stirring constantly. Take the pan from the heat. Remove and discard the lemon piece. Purée the sauce in a blender, or use an immersion blender to carefully purée it in the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside until needed.
- To assemble the gratin, arrange a layer of half the potato slices on the bottom of the prepared gratin dish, overlapping, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with a layer of half the apple slices, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange the brie slices evenly over the apple. Repeat with a layer each of the remaining potato and apple. Gently pour the cream sauce over, allowing it to settle into the layers; if needed to help it seep down, spread it toward the edges where it will flow down more easily. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Set the gratin dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 1 hour. Carefully take the gratin from the oven and test with a paring knife in the center; there should be very little resistance. If still a bit firm, continue baking until tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let the gratin sit for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into pieces to serve.
