Aged Cheddar Potatoes Gratin

This dish was THE BOMB!  It was so rich and creamy...and cheesy.  Pair it with the Mustard and Herb Crusted Pork Loin from the previous recipe for a great meal.

1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
5 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1 tbsp. thyme, rough chopped
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
Truffle salt and pepper to taste
3 C. aged white cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Heat together the cream, garlic and thyme in a saucepan until steaming.  Set aside while preparing the potatoes.

Lightly butter a baking or pie dish.  Placed a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom of the dish in a concentric circle.  Season with truffle salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle about 1/4 C. of the infused garlic cream on top, and finish with a sprinkling of cheese.  Continue with more layers in this fashion until the baking dish is full.

Top the gratin with the remaining cheese and cover with foil.  Bake in a parchment lined sheet tray for 30 minutes.

Uncover the baking dish and continue to cook until the potatoes are knife tender and the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then cut into slices and serve.

Notes:

These can be made in ramekins, which will take half the time to cook.

To roast garlic, slice the top off of a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves.  Place it in a small ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until the cloves are soft and a light golden in color.