TasteFood: An alpine cheese-blanketed potato gratin is sheer heaven

As the saying goes, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. I agree with this philosophy, but with one caveat: You can always add more cheese — especially when making a potato gratin. A potato gratin is a cheese lover’s gift, with ultrathin layers of sliced potatoes blanketed in oozing cheese, cream and, yes, more cheese. It’s a rich and comforting side dish, guaranteed to soothe any seasonal blahs, with the promise of tipping a dinner to the luscious point of no return.

It’s important to invest in the cheese you choose for a gratin. Your cheese must easily melt, of course, and should also provide flavor to the entire dish, including hints of sharpness, earthiness and/or nuttiness. A surefire source I recommend would be the Swiss alps. Note that the term “Swiss” does not refer to the ubiquitous hole-riddled cheese you’ll find at your supermarket deli counter. Swiss, in this context, refers to the country and its mountainous alpine region.

The Swiss know their cheese, which they take very seriously; it’s designated as one of their cultural icons and is a staple in their cuisine. Consider fondue and raclette, two iconic Swiss alpine dishes that feature melted cheese. Fondue is a simmering pot of melted cheese and wine, and raclette is a melted hunk of cheese scraped and spread over cooked potatoes. (Hungry yet?)

The Swiss cheese types may vary in flavor and strength depending on their age and region, but the common denominator is that they are sourced from their many happy cows (another cultural icon) that blissfully feed on the grass and fauna in the mountains and valleys, which in turn influence and flavor the cows’ milk. The result is a smattering of sublime cheeses that are sweet, nutty, floral and earthy and have a flavorful impact on a gratin (or any dish) where cheese is prominent. They are worth the splurge.

And while I am giving advice, I also suggest purchasing more cheeses than you need for this recipe, because they are delicious to nosh on their own.

Swiss Potato Gratin

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter

2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream

1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme and/or rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

6 ounces coarsely grated raclette or Appenzeller cheese

2½ to 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, very thinly sliced, preferably with a mandoline

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart gratin or baking dish.

Whisk the sour cream, cream, garlic, thyme, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Combine the cheeses in a separate bowl.