There’s just not much better than this.   Warm, gooey potatoes, oozing with cheese?  You guys, come on.  This is the ultimate comfort food.

My friends at Castello were kind enough to send me some generous wedges of two varieties of their cheese, Hirten and Classic.  I have to admit that we’ve enjoyed cuts of the Hirten with crackers and a full-bodied red wine on a few occasions lately, but once I settled down to cook with it, I was glad I did.

You can make a Potato Gratin with pretty much any variety of cheese, but I love a dry, crumbly cheese  like Hirten to offset the mild potato flavor.  It’s sharp, with a nice little bite that just works.

So, so good.

A traditional Gratin might be made with a cream base, but I love this recipes use of vegetable stock.  It just takes the flavor to a new level, which is completely unexpected and really quite pleasant.

And, apparently cooking with delicious Swedish cheese makes me say things like “quite pleasant.”

Now, don’t be intimidated by this dish, it’s a very easy recipe.  After peeling and slicing the potatoes, it’s just a matter of layering the ingredients.  While it’s baking, the potatoes absorb all of the flavors, the cheese melts and the top kind of bubbles and forms a crispy crust.

When it comes out of the oven, don’t burn your fingers trying to sneak a taste of that crispy crust.  Don’t be like me.

This makes the perfect side dish for chicken and fish dishes.  On a day like today, an unseasonably cool and rainy July day, it’s sure to warm you up.

A huge thank you to Castello Cheese and Honest Cooking Magazine for sponsoring today’s post.  Stay tuned for another post soon featuring Castello’s Classic cheese.  This is good stuff, folks.  Click {here} to find a supplier near you.  You need this cheese in your life.

Win a Private Cheese Tasting in your own home – enter by clicking on the banner below. Castello Moments and this post is a collaboration between the blogger and Arla Foods USA. 

Castello Moments: Potato Gratin

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

1 hour 45 mins

Total time

2 hours 10 mins

 

Made with Castello's top-quality Hirten cheese, this decadent potato dish is the perfect side dish for chicken and fish. Recipe adapted from: Canadian Living

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, halved
• 1 and ¼ cups (300 mL) grated, hard cheese (such as Castello Hirten)
• ¾ tsp (4 mL) salt
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) white pepper
• 7 medium/large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• ¼ cup (60 mL) butter
• 1 and ½ cups (375 mL) vegetable stock

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Rub the sides and bottom of 9 x 9-inch baking dish with cut side of garlic; discard garlic.
3. Spray dish with cooking spray and set aside.
4. In small bowl, combine cheese, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
5. Using mandolin or slicer attachment on food processor, very thinly slice potatoes.
6. Arrange one-third in overlapping layers in dish.
7. Dot with one-third of the butter; sprinkle with one-third of the cheese mixture.
8. Repeat layers once.
9. Arrange remaining potatoes over top, pressing lightly.
10. In microwaveable liquid measure, microwave stock at high for 2 minutes or until hot; pour evenly over potatoes.
11. Dot with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture.
12. Cover with foil; bake for 1 hour.
13. Uncover and continue to bake until tender and knife inserted in bottom pierces potatoes easily, about 45 minutes.
14. Allow to cool slightly before serving, and enjoy!

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