Spring Holiday Side Dish: Dauphinoise Potatoes

Yield:  6 to 8 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, plus cooling

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed or cut in half
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, divided
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 to 5 thyme sprigs, plus 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1½ to 1¾ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (6 large or 7 to 8 medium), well-rinsed
• Black pepper
• 1 whole nutmeg, for grating (we will this one for grating)
• ⅓ cup shredded Gruyère

Method:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9-by-13-inch (or larger) baking dish (we like this one from Emile Henry)
3. Sprinkle 1 garlic clove with a pinch of salt and rub it around the bottom and sides of the dish. (Reserve the garlic to use in the steeped cream.)
4. Spread 1 tbsp of butter over the bottom and sides to coat.
5. To steep the cream, in a small saucepan, combine cream, thyme sprigs, the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and both garlic cloves. Heat the mixture over medium until the cream starts to steam and ripple. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep while you prepare the potatoes.
6. Peel, rinse & remove any eyes from the potatoes. Slice the potatoes crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick slices. (A mandoline is the best tool for this job - we love this one!) 
7. Strain the cream into a liquid measuring cup or other spouted container.
8. Arrange a single, slightly overlapping layer of potatoes evenly on the bottom of the prepared dish.
9. Drizzle the center with 2 tablespoons of the cream, sprinkle with salt (about ½ teaspoon), a few grates of nutmeg and a couple cracks of black pepper. 
10. Repeat the last layer, adding 2 tsp thyme leaves. 
11. Repeat each of these layers once more until you have four layers.
12. Arrange the potatoes in a fifth and final layer overlapping in pretty formation. Pour the remaining cream over the top and sprinkle with a final ½ tsp of salt and a little nutmeg.
13. Bake the potatoes, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the Gruyère with remaining 1 tbsp thyme leaves and set aside.
14. After 40 minutes, remove from the oven. Sprinkle evenly with the Gruyère mixture and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until browned and bubbly on top. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe Adapted from: New York Times Cooking