Gratin of Potatoes Girardet

Posted By Tessie2.

Ingredients.

Servings: 4

400 g Floury potatoes (14 oz) 20 g Unsalted butter (3/4 oz)
1 x Small clove of garlic Salt, pepper, cayenne and
200 ml Milk (scant 1/2 pint) - nutmeg
100 ml Double cream (scant 1/4 pint

IMPORTANT: The gratin is best if it is given gentle, slow cooking

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick.
ABOVE ALL, DO NOT WASH THEM.

Peel and chop the clove of garlic very finely and mix it with the slices
of potato.

Put the potatoes into a saucepan with just enough milk to cover them.
Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and a few gratings of nutmeg.

Put the pan over a fairly high heat and cook the potatoes for 4-5 minutes,
or until you can see that the milk has blended and thickened a little with
the starch given out by the potatoes. At this point, add half the cream
and just bring the pan to the boil. Take it off the stove and taste for
seasoning.

Butter a gratin dish. This should be big enough to take the potatoes in a
layer NOT MORE THAN 2 cm (3/4 in) THICK. Arrange the potatoes in the dish
with their creamy milk. Add the rest of the cream and mix it in well.
Sprinkle a few flakes of butter on the surface.

Pre-heat the oven to 160 C/320 F. Bake the gratin at the bottom of the
oven for a good 1 1/2 hours.

Excellent with any plainly cooked poultry or roast meat.