Mushroom Potato Gratin

• Vegetarian

• Produce

  • 1 1/2 lb Baby red potatoes
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 10 oz Button mushrooms, white thin
  • 3 clove Garlic
  • 1 oz Porcini mushrooms, dried
  • 2 thin slices Yellow onion

• Condiments

  • 1 cup Bechamel sauce

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 1/2 tbsp Flour
  • 2 Kosher or sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Truffle salt
  • 1 White or black pepper
  • 1 White pepper

• Dairy

  • 4 1/2 tbsp Butter
  • 1/3 cup Cheddar, white
  • 1/4 cup Heavy cream or additional milk
  • 1 cup Whole milk

Found on naturalcomfortkitchen.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 C bechamel sauce (recipe below) or heavy cream
• 2½ T butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 clove garlic, halved crosswise
• 1½ lbs. baby red potatoes, sliced just thicker than ⅛
• 10 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced thin
• Kosher or sea salt
• White pepper
• ⅓ C finely grated white cheddar (optional)
• Truffle salt, for serving (optional)
• 1 C whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 thin slices of yellow onion
• 2 T butter
• 1½ T flour
• ¼ C heavy cream or additional milk
• ¼ t freshly grated nutmeg (or 1 pinch dried ground)
• Kosher or sea salt
• White or black pepper

Directions

• In a small mixing bowl, cover dried mushrooms with 1¼ cups warm water. Place a serving bowl or plate over the mushrooms to keep submerged and soak at least 20 minutes, or until needed.
• If making bechamel, gradually heat milk in a small saucepan with bay leaf, garlic, and onion until just boiling. Turn off heat. Melt butter over medium in a 1 to 2 quart saucepan, then sprinkle in flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. The mixture should bubble but not stick to the pan or turn golden--adjust heat as needed. Over medium low, whisk constantly while pouring warm milk mixture into the roux (the flour and butter). Increase heat while stirring or whisking so sauce just bubbles. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Pass through a fine mesh strainer, then stir in ¼ cup cream or milk. Season with nutmeg, plus salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
• Swish (technical term) the dried mushrooms around in the bowl with your hands, then set a fine mesh strainer lined with a damp paper towel or coffee filter over a liquid measuring cup. Strain mushroom liquid into the cup, pressing out excess liquid from mushrooms gently with back of a spoon. Return bechamel or add cream to a medium saucepan. Over low heat, whisk in 1 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Chop rehydrated mushrooms into ¼ to ½ pieces. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped mushrooms and sautee about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook another minute, then remove from heat and season with a little salt and pepper.
• Rub a 2 quart gratin or baking dish with the cut sides of halved garlic clove, then grease with remaining butter. Make a flat layer of half the sliced potatoes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with a flat layer of all the sliced mushrooms, then the sauteed mushroom and garlic mixture. Cover with remaining sliced potatoes, sprinkling with more salt and pepper. Pour reserved mushroom cream evenly over the gratin.
• Bake gratin for an hour on middle rack. Sprinkle with cheddar, if using, and bake for another 30 minutes, until gratin is bubbling and potatoes are tender. You should be able to see some liquid, as it wont all have been absorbed by the potatoes. Cool slightly before serving.