Potatoes Dauphinoise

I grew up on russet potatoes.  They were never my favorite but I ate them.  In more recent years I've discovered other varieties of potatoes that are so much tastier!  I think it's mainly a texture thing...russet potatoes are just kind of grainy.  Don't get me wrong.  I like russet potatoes just fine, when they're covered in butter, sour cream and cheese!  So today I tried a new recipe using a combination of red potatoes and small gold potatoes that I had on hand.  I think it turned out really good!  The prep was really quite easy - I sliced the potatoes by hand and spent much less time doing this than I usually do grating potatoes when making augratin potatoes.  This recipe comes from The Sisters Cafe.

Potatoes Dauphinoise

3 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled (red or Yukon gold are great)
1 large garlic clove, halved
1 Tb butter, softened
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese (or cheddar works great)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Put them into a large pot and fill with cold water and a little salt. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Do not overcook at this stage or the potatoes will begin to break break up. Drain well.

2. Rub the inside of the baking dish (I used a 9x13 pan.) with the cut garlic and grease with a little of the butter.

3. Preheat oven to 325. Put half the potatoes into the dish, spreading them evenly. Sprinkle with a little of the nutmeg and some seasoning of salt and pepper. Add half the cheese and then another layer of potatoes, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

4. Beat together the cream and milk and pour evenly over the potatoes. Finish by scattering the remaining cheese on top with a few small pieces of butter dotted over the surface.

5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40-45 minutes until a deep crisp brown crust forms. Serve immediately from the dish.