From the archives: A simple, elegant potato gratin for the holidays

Mashed potatoes piled high and primed for a gravy volcano reign supreme during Thanksgiving for adults and kids alike, but what if you want something… sophisticated? Where is the rule that there can only be one form of potato on your holiday table? This potato gratin recipe can be made up to 4 days ahead, then reheated in the oven before serving, letting you focus on the other sides suitable for soaking up that delicious turkey gravy.

What’s the difference between scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin and pommes dauphinoise?

Somewhere along the way, these names became interchangeable, like dressing and stuffing. The commonalities are thinly sliced potatoes, layered and baked in a casserole dish, all with a golden and bubbly crust. Their differences lie in the other components cooked with them.

Potatoes au gratin, or potato gratin, translates to “potatoes with a crust.” Variations are typically cooked with cream, not roux, with the addition of cheese between layers of sliced potato and breadcrumbs on top.

Scalloped potatoes are similar to potatoes au gratin with the absence of cheese and breadcrumbs. They are usually baked with a bechamel sauce.

Pommes dauphinoise relies on melding the flavors of heavy cream with the starches from the raw potato slices, along with any aromatics. It doesn’t use cheese or breadcrumbs. It’s safe to say this potato gratin recipe most resembles a dauphinoise and can be considered a classic version rather than the more modern version which incorporates cheese and breadcrumbs.

Why this potato gratin recipe is easy

Many modern variations of these potato dishes call for a bechamel, which is a roux (flour and butter) blended with milk to create a creamy sauce. The whole process takes around 10 minutes of whisking, and leaving it unattended can leave you with a lumpy or burned mess.

This potato gratin recipe doesn’t require a roux, with only heavy cream poured on top before putting in the oven.

What’s changed in this recipe?

Absolutely nothing. The recipe is simple, elegant and delicious as is.

…but if you want to stir things up (pun intended)

Along with the onions in between each layer, additional ingredients such as cooked and crumbled bacon and/or chopped chives work well. If you don’t have fresh thyme, replace it with another fresh herb. Breadcrumbs sprinkled on top can also give the potatoes some extra crunch.

And whatever you do, give your Thanksgiving guests a low-stakes food controversy to argue about — team “scallop” versus team “gratin” beats politics at the dinner table any day.

The side dish you can make up to four days in advance

Bake the recipe according to the instructions, then let it cool to room temperature before covering the dish tightly with foil and keeping it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until thoroughly warmed. Remove the foil and bake a few minutes more to get the top crispy again.

Potato Gratin with Onion and Thyme

Prep time: 20 minutes

Makes 4 Servings

Chilling Time: 1 hour or more

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, submerged in cold water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine, divided
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 pint heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Soak the potatoes at least 1 hour or even overnight in the refrigerator. If you are in a rush, rinse the slices very well in cold running water. Drain and spread them on a kitchen towel. Pat them fairly dry with the towel and season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Grease a 6-cup gratin dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Place half the potato slices in the dish in an even layer. Layer in all the onion slices, sprinkle with thyme and top with the rest of the potato. Pour cream over the top. Dot with the remaining butter and bake for 40 minutes, until the gratin is cooked through, brown and bubbly on top. Serve immediately.