The Best Gratin!

We had lots of the wonderful smoked Sirloin left over from the 4th of July dinner so we decided to just slice some down and eat it at room temperature. Bea joined us bringing some great wine. We started with a salad but the real hit of the night was the cholesterol loaded Potato Gratin!

We have eaten many times at Lucques and love the cookbook of Sunday Nights at Lucques, but somehow we had missed the potato Gratin recipe in the book. Cathy says “She will NEVER make any other gratin recipe”. This is quite a statement but it is that good! Of course, bacon is my favorite seasoning, and that goes a long way to explain why it is so good. The caramelized onions also are a treat! It really helped that we have an electric meat slicer, it works perfectly on the potatoes and makes it easy to cut thin ones uniformily.

For dessert Cathy Sautéed Cherries and served them with the now famous Ginger Cookies from The Cheese Store of Silverlake.

Potato-Bacon Gratin
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1/2 pound slab applewood-smoked bacon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced onions (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
About 2 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

This potato and bacon gratin was created by Rob Chalmers, a chef de cuisine at Lucques who had a great love of food and a big Boston attitude to go along with it. When he first told me about this gratin, 1 thought he was joking. That much fat in one pan might put even me over the edge. But lo and behold, bacon, potatoes, and cream really do taste good together!

Preheat the oven to 350°
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Cut the bacon into 3/8-inch-thick slices, and stack them in two piles, then cut the bacon crosswise into 3/8-inch even-sided rectangular shapes, or lardons.

Heat a large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for a minute. Swirl in the olive oil and add the bacon. Cook the bacon about 5 minutes, stirring often, until tender and lightly crisped. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
Add the onions, 2 teaspoons thyme, i teaspoon salt, and some pepper to the pan. Cook 15 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon, until the onions start to caramelize. Turn the heat down to low, and continue to cook, about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are a deep golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/16-inch-thick rounds. Pour 1/2 cup cream evenly onto the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin dish. Place one layer of potatoes side by side, slightly overlapping, on the bottom of the dish. Spread a third of the onions over them and scatter a third of the bacon on top. Arrange a second layer of potatoes, drizzle 1/4 cup cream over it, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a healthy pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Press the potatoes down with your fingers, letting the cream soak up through the layers. This will ensure that the cream is evenly distributed and coats the potatoes well.
Arrange another layer of potatoes on top, followed by another third of the caramelized onions and the bacon. Drizzle over another 1/4 cup cream, and con¬tinue with two more layers of potatoes. Drizzle with 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Press the potatoes down with your fingers again. Scatter the rest of the onions and bacon over the potatoes, and driz¬zle with 1/3 cup cream. Season one last time with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon thyme, and a pinch of pepper. The cream should cover the potatoes but not be "soupy." Add more cream if the gratin seems dry.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap (yes, it can go in the oven) and then foil. Bake 1-1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender when pierced. Remove from the oven, and carefully uncover. Turn the oven up to 425°F and return the gratin to the oven. Cook another 20 minutes or so, until the top is nice and golden brown, as in gratineed.