Sweet Potato Gratin

This recipe is an adaptation of my friend Stephanie’s from Water Street Bistro. She gave me the technique a few years ago and this has become a regular in my winter side dish repertoire. Ham, fried chicken, even salmon patties are happy to have this hot dish accompany them and take center stage on the plate. This is a terrific scalable recipe that can be made for four or forty. Just keep layering, sprinkling and seasoning. A huge hit at a pot luck, when those become fashionable again.

• 

• 

• 

Oven 350°

Grease a 9×9 baking dish

3 lbs. sweet potatoes (don’t get me started on the whole yam debate) sliced thinly on a mandolin ¼”

3 oz. finely freshly shredded parmesan cheese  

Salt and pepper (Espelette pepper is the best)

Nutmeg (I like the fresh stuff)

1 Pint Heavy Cream

I like to slice up all but one of the sweet potatoes, if I have enough without, I don’t need to waste it here. The recipe is more of a technique of layering sweet potato slices, seasoning them with a dusting of nutmeg, sprinkling a light layer of cheese then salt and pepper. Keep layering until your baking dish is full. Finish by pouring about ½ cup of cream down the sides and all around, the cream should come up about 1/3 of the total volume (see photo). You may use larger dish for more servings, just increase your potatoes, cheese and cream incrementally.

Cover and bake in oven for 45 minutes, remove cover increase oven temperature to 425° and continue baking another 15 minutes until the top is golden brown.

• 

•