There is a new variety of potato in the supermarkets that I have not seen before. It is called Klondike Rose and it is a red skinned Idaho potato. The flesh is a golden color and it has a buttery taste. It sounded like the perfect vehicle for a potato gratin because the potatoes would hold their shape when arranged decoratively in the dish. Russet potatoes fall apart when cooked and are better suited for baking or mashing and because they have a high starch content make excellent french fries, potato pancakes, or galettes. The Klondike Rose is a waxy potato and is good roasted, boiled, or in au gratin dishes. When I peeled these potatoes they indeed were very golden and it was easy to slice them thinly. They held up well, but I have adjusted the recipe because I cooked them for 8 minutes on top of the stove and they did fall apart somewhat. I tucked the broken potatoes under the perfect rounds which I overlapped to make the dish look better. Cook for only 3 minutes on the stove top because they are in the oven long enough to finish cooking. This was a very satisfying dish – shades of Patricia Wells in Provence.
POMMES DE TERRE AU GRATIN
2 pounds Klondike Rose potatoes ( or any waxy potato ), peeled and sliced thinly
1 chicken bouillon cube and enough water to cover potatoes
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
Fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put thinly sliced potatoes in large sauce pan. Cover with water and add bouillon cube. Bring to boil over medium high heat and cook for three minutes. Drain potatoes and cool slightly. Combine rest of ingredients, excluding 1 ounce of Swiss cheese and breadcrumbs, in large bowl. Toss potatoes in mixture. Arrange coated potatoes in buttered au gratin dish, overlapping them slightly. Pour contents of bowl over potatoes and sprinkle top with remaining grated cheese and the breadcrumbs. Bake for 45 minutes.
Your potatoes look like molten gold. I’ll be on the lookout for Klondike potatoes. I’d like to make this.
(Smacking my lips!) Gosh does this ever look and sound FAB!!! Potatoes are one of my very favorite foods.
Oh my goodness, these look PERFECT. I love the garnish atop as well. I planted potatoes for the first time this year, and I’m looking forward to baking this very dish.
We only have 2 kinds of potatoes here, both waxy. When we lived in Ireland I was so clueless. There were so many different kinds…. I bought one kind, put it in a stew and it totally disappeared! I learned to ask…