Recipe: Truffled Gratin Potatoes

I often tell clients that I would appreciate it if they limited their time to the kitchen while I am working. Although sometimes, I need a kitchen assistant and who could be better then a sweetheart like Baily as you see here helping me out in the kitchen the other night on New Years Eve. Baily is a great helper and it was really great having some company in the kitchen while I prepared his families New Years Eve dinner.
Here is a recipe from the event that I think you will enjoy. I also included some directions on how to prepare the gratin over 2 weeks ahead of time and then re-heat it 'personal chef' style - and believe me, no dinner party guest will ever be able to tell.
Truffled Gratin Potatoes:
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
• 8 Baking Potatoes, Skinned and Sliced on a Mandoline (Thinnest Setting Possible)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• 4 oz. Truffle Oil
• 6 oz. of Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
• 4 oz. of Parmesan Cheese, Shredded
• 2 Tablespoons, Finely Chopped Black Truffles (from a Can)

To Make Truffled Potato Gratin:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare gratin baking dish: For a tall gratin, use a bread pan. For a shallow gratin, use a 9”x9” square pan. Cover pan with 1 large piece of foil and fold over sides of pan. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray, whip out any excess and set aside.
3. Pour crème into large bowl and set aside.
4. Cut up butter into ‘pea’ size pieces and set aside.
5. Peel potatoes and place in large bowl filled with water, so that potatoes are completely submerged.
6. Put mandoline on thinnest setting possible and lay over crème filled bowl. Remove 1 potato at a time from the water bowl and slice potato through mandoline into crème. Between each potato, carefully flip slices in bowl around to make sure each is coated with crème.
7. Pour truffle oil into a shallow bowl and set aside.
8. Place gratin dish in front of you and start to layer in potato slices. First fan slices, overlapping each by half, from left to right. Sprinkle lightly with pepper, salt and about 2 Tablespoons of gruyere.
9. Continue with next layer of gratin from top to bottom, followed by a light brushing of truffle oil over the potatoes and sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of shredded gruyere.
10. Every third layer of gratin, place 3 pea sized pieces of butter evenly over gratin and sprinkle about a tablespoon of chopped black truffle over gratin and gently press down on gratin to insure you are stacking the layers as tightly as possible.
11. Alternate gratin directions 7 and 8 until you finish with last of the potatoes or ½” from the top of the gratin dish, whatever comes first.
12. Top with parmesan and chopped black truffle, place gratin dish on a sided cookie sheet and place in oven to bake for 30-45 minutes.
13. To check doneness of gratin: Remove from oven and run butter knife through center of gratin; if knife slips through with little to no resistance, gratin is ready. If gratin is becoming too dark for you: Cover with foil and return to oven until cooked through.
14. Remove from oven, slice into desired pieces and lift out with spatula.

To Store Truffled Potato Gratin: Remove gratin from oven and let cool completely. Carefully ‘lift’ out foil from gratin pan – and place on cutting board. Using a slicer, carefully slice gratin in desired pieces and place in Tupperware. Sprinkle each piece with a little gruyere or parmesan and cover to refrigerate (for up to 5 days) or freeze (for up to 2 weeks).

To Serve Truffled Potato Gratin: If gratin has been frozen, please defrost it in the fridge at least 24 hours before you plan to re-heat it to enjoy. Remove Tupperware top and cover with a paper towel. Place in microwave to heat for 3-4 minutes until heated through and butter knife slips through center of gratin with little to no resistance.