Mushroom and Potato Gratin (Scalloped Potatoes)

Using mushrooms and SOOC Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil gives this gratin a deep earthiness that enhances the buttery Yukon Gold potatoes. Savoury garlic, luxurious cream, fragrant thyme and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese bring increased dimension to the dish!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp SOOC Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil (plus a bit more for greasing)
1 1/2 C half & half cream
1/2 C Chicken (or Vegetable) stock
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 1 1/2 tsp minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced
1 lb. Cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Capers
4 Tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 C Gruyere, grated

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Use a small amount of olive oil to coat a medium-sized baking dish or cast iron (oven-proof) frying pan. In a large saucepan, combine the cream, stock, garlic, thyme sprigs, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring just to a low boil over medium heat, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Gently stir the potato slices into the cream mixture (in saucepan if it’s large enough or a bowl if not), cover and let stand while you cook the mushrooms.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, heat the SOOC Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil to shimmering, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and sauté until all of the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the minced thyme with a pinch of pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Combine the 2 kinds of cheese well, in a bowl.
Arrange one-third of the potato slices (remove from cream with a slotted spoon), slightly overlapping, on the bottom of the prepared dish/pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and 5 Tbsp of the cheese mix. Spread half of the mushrooms over the potatoes and sprinkle with 5 Tbsp of cheese mix and a Tbsp of capers. Repeat using another 1/3 of the potatoes, then all the remaining mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, pepper and 5 Tbsp cheese. Top with the remaining 1/3 of potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a large, flat spatula, gently press on the vegetables to compact them. Remove the thyme sprigs & pour the cream mixture over the dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese & capers over the top.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the mixture is golden brown and bubbly, about 10 – 15 minutes more. Let the gratin rest for about 10 minutes, before cutting it into squares and serving.