Gruyere Gratin Potatoes - Baked Items Recipe Theme

I wanted to end this month’s recipe theme of Baked Items with something that is more savory and I thought a baked potato dish might be just the ticket.  This recipe uses a combo of sweet potatoes and Yukon golds with Gruyère cheese.  This firm tangy tasting cheese from the Swiss family of cheeses, melts well and is perfect with the plain palette of potatoes.

Gruyere Gratin Potatoes

• 1 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds medium red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, crumble
• 1 teaspoon sage, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon thyme, striped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 5 ounces)

Directions:

Fill large bowl with cold water. Working with 1 Yukon Gold potato at a time, peel, then cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds and place in bowl with water. Repeat with sweet potatoes. Combine cream, butter, and garlic in medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Mix all herbs in small bowl. Mix sea salt and black pepper in another small bowl.

Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Drain potatoes, then pat dry with kitchen towels. Transfer half of potatoes to prepared baking dish. Use hands to distribute and spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of salt-pepper mixture, then half of herb mixture. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes, salt-pepper mixture, herb mixture, and cheese. Pour cream mixture over gratin, pressing lightly to submerge potato mixture as much as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Remove plastic wrap before baking.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover gratin tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until top of gratin is golden and most of liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.

Do ahead version: You can make the recipe and chill up to 6 hours before baking, so you can make it in the morning and then cook for dinner.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
June 2021 – Mediterranean Dishes
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes