Individual Sweet Potato Gratins With Creme Fraiche Onions And Bacon Food

SAVORY SWEET POTATO GRATINS WITH CREME FRAICHE, ONIONS, AND BACO

Steps:

• Lightly grease 2 individual baking dishes (that hold roughly 1 1/2 cups) or an 8 x 8 baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small saute pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from heat, and toss with onion and garlic.
• In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, and cook until the mixture is well combined but still pale. Stir in the milk and the creme fraiche.
• Reduce the heat to low and bring the bechamel to a simmer. Stir in nutmeg, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
• Layer 4-6 slices of potato at the base of each of the prepared baking dishes. Top with a few tablespoons of bechamel, and a few spoonfuls of the bacon mixture. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, another layer of bechamel, and more bacon. Top with one last layer of potatoes, and spoon remaining bechamel over the top. Finish with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese.
• Bake the gratins until they are bubbly around the edges and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

SWEET POTATO-ONION GRATIN

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter.
• Oil the sliced sweet potatoes and onions with the canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the sweet potatoes and onions until slightly charred on each side and just halfway cooked. Set aside.
• Combine the half-and-half, horseradish, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle one-third of the Gruyere in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer one-third of the grilled sweet potatoes and onions on top of the Gruyere. Repeat twice¿one-third of the cheese, one-third of the vegetables¿to create three even cheese-vegetable layers. Pour the half-and-half mixture over the top, cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the sweet potatoes are tender and the gratin is golden brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

SWEET POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour 1 cup cream into a large ovenproof skillet. Arrange sweet potatoes evenly in pan, season with salt and pepper, and pour remaining cream on top. Gently press on potatoes to submerge. Bring to a simmer over medium, transfer to oven, and bake 12 minutes. Press on potatoes to submerge again and bake until potatoes are tender and cream is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY POTATO GRATIN WITH CARAMELISED ONIONS

Steps:

• Up to 2 days before serving, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and thyme, cover, and cook over a gentle heat for 10-15 mins until softened and caramelised. Pour the cream and milk into a large bowl and season well. Add the potatoes and mix to combine.
• Butter a 23 x 28cm ovenproof dish, then layer in half the potatoes. Spread the onion mixture on top, then layer on the remaining potatoes. Press down with your hands. Pour over the milk mixture, which should come just level with the potatoes. If not, add a little more milk until it does. Cover with foil, then bake for 11⁄2 hrs until tender. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Cover and store in the fridge.
• On the day, heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Uncover the gratin, spread the crème fraîche on top, then sprinkle over the Parmesan. Put in the oven and cook for 30 mins until the cheese is melted, the top crisp and golden brown, and the gratin piping hot. Serve garnished with extra thyme.

MOLTEN FRENCH CAMEMBERT POTATO GRATIN WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 210C,425°F.
• Grease an ovenproof dish, I use a French Poele, a small pan like earthenware dish with a handle, but any oven proof dish which is fairly deep will be okay!
• Peel and boil the potatoes whole; cook for about 20-25 mins or until JUST tender but still holding their shape well.Plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking and set them to one side.
• Meanwhile, heat up a frying pan and cook the lardons or bacon cubes together with the diced onions. Cook them over a medium heat, pouring away any excess fat. Fry them until the bacon is crispy but not too brown and the onions are tender.
• Mix together the creme fraiche and glass of wine. Season the mixture very well with black pepper and just a touch of salt, as the bacon will be salty.
• Take your Camembert cheese and very carefully slice it into two pieces horizontally.
• Drain the cooled potatoes and cut them into 1/4" thick slices. Layer half of them in to the greased oven proof dish and then cover with half of the onion and bacon mixture.
• Pour over half of the wine and creme fraiche mixture. Place one half of the whole Camembert on top. Repeat the layer in the same order: potatoes, bacon and onion mixture, wine and creme fraiche mixture and end the layers by placing the last half a Camembert cheese on top.
• Season with black pepper again and just a pinch of salt if you wish.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until the gratin is brown and bubbling.
• Set to one side for about 3-5 minutes, it firms up a bit and is easier to serve then!
• Serve with a big bowl of crisp green salad, assorted Charcuterie such as cold meats, salami, terrine and sausage AND not forgetting crusty bread to mop all those juices up with!
• Great with a well chilled and dry white wine such as Chablis or Chardonnay.

SWEET POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. In a bowl, beat egg. Add cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper; mix well. Pour over potatoes; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375° until the potatoes are tender, 40-45 minutes. If desired, top with fresh thyme to serve.

GRATIN OF POTATOES, ONIONS, BACON AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F First, simmer the potatoes in plenty of salted water until completely cooked through. Drain and leave to cool.
• Once they have cooled enough to handle, cut the potatoes into 1/2in slices, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and freshly grated nutmeg and set aside.
• While the potatoes are cooking, sweat the onions with the bacon in the vegetable oil in a heavy-based frying pan for 10 minutes until soft, turn up the heat and brown, stirring constantly.Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Mix the grated cheese together with the creme fraiche and set aside.
• Generously butter a gratin dish and cover with half of the sliced potatoes followed by the onions and bacon and the second half of the potatoes.
• Pour over the white wine and spread the cheese and creme fraiche mixture over the top. Season with freshly ground pepper and grated nutmeg and bake for 15-20 minutes in the pre-heated oven until golden. Serve piping hot.