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Authentic Potato Gratin from Scandinavia
This classic Scandinavian recipe combines the flavors of potatoes, anchovies, cream, onion and more to make a wonderful baked gratin side dish. You can eat it hot, chilled or at room temperature. If you want to enjoy the gratin as an appetizer or part of a buffet, serve it on a chilled platter with some dressed mixed lettuce leaves.
Because the dish is velvety and creamy, using capers and anchovies gives it a salty edge and therefore turns it into a dish of contrasts. The potatoes and onion will be very soft so the salty ingredients also add texture. There are other ways you can jazz your potato gratin up as well. For example, you can use chopped pickles instead of the capers or crumble some crispy bacon over the top of this potato gratin recipe just before serving it.
This is a versatile recipe and it is nice with burgers, sausages, beef, chicken, or any other meat dish you can think of. It would also go well with a meaty type of fish, although more delicate fish is probably best with aromatic rice or simple boiled potatoes. You will need a gratin dish for making this, which is am ovenproof glass dish that it big enough to hold the mixture. Use a pair of smaller dishes if that is all you have.
Creamy Potato Gratin with Anchovies and Capers
Ingredients -
2 lbs potatoes
4 oz butter
1 onion
2 cans anchovies in oil
2 tablespoons capers
1 pint heavy cream
Melted butter or oil for greasing the dish
Salt and black pepper
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 340 degrees F.
Grease a gratin dish with melted butter or oil.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices.
Cut the onion in half and thinly slice both halves.
Fry the onion in the butter over a low heat until soft.
Combine the oil from the cans of anchovies with half the cream and some salt and pepper in another pot and warm the mixture gently.
Layer half the potatoes in the baking dish and spoon half the onions over the top.
Add half the anchovies, some more potatoes and the rest of the onions.
Add a final layer of potatoes, the rest of the anchovies and finally pour the cream mixture over it all.
Scatter the capers over the top and drizzle some olive oil or dot some butter on top too.
Bake the potato gratin for 1 and a half hours.
Pour the rest of the cream over the top.
Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F and bake the gratin for another 30 minutes or until it is bubbling, golden, and the potatoes are tender.
(Serves 20)
Wine Suggestion:
Which Wine Goes with Potato Gratin
With its arugula and pepper notes, a glass of Pinot Gris would make a wonderful accompaniment to this delicious potato gratin recipe. Pinot Gris, or Pinot Grigio as it is also known, is made in various places including Italy where it is popular. Californian Pinot Gris is lighter-bodied than Italian Pinot Grigio, and the taste of this wine is really refreshing.
Photo Description:
As you can see in the picture, the anchovies are arranged in a crisscross pattern on top of the potato gratin recipe. It is up to you whether you do this or whether you simply chop them and scatter them on. This wonderful side dish makes a change from mashed potatoes, fries, or rice, even though it takes a bit longer to make. If you are cooking a simple steak or chicken breast, serving potato gratin on the side (and maybe a green salad too) will transform your ordinary meal into an extraordinary one.
What is Gratin?
You might be considering an au gratin potato recipe for dinner but what is potato gratin exactly? The word "gratin" means that something is topped with a browned crust. The crust usually contains cheese, egg or butter and breadcrumbs. This recipe originated in France and it is usually make in some kind of shallow container. You can broil a gratin or bake it, then serve the results in the cooking dish. You can cook various dishes with this breadcrumb topping, not just potatoes. Try eggplant, celeriac, crab, leek, pasta, or fennel gratins, or fish, meat, or mixed vegetable ones. These can be side dishes or entrees.
Adding a crunchy topping makes your potatoes more substantial and filling so if you are looking for a hearty side dish idea, you might like to choose your favorite cooked veggies and make an easy gratin recipe to go on top. Broil it for a few minutes and you have a wonderful side dish which looks, smells, and tastes great.
One of the most common gratins is au gratin potatoes and this goes by various names, including "gratin dauphinois" or "scalloped potatoes." Potato au gratin usually contains thin potato slices, cream, and garlic. Milk and cream make the dish rich and creamy and eggs might also feature in it. Sometimes bouillon is used as the cooking liquid and Beaufort cheese is added to the au gratin potatoes. Sometimes mornay sauce or bechamel sauce is used in the recipe.
Other Kinds of Gratin Recipes
Sole au gratin is a fish and mushroom dish with cheese on top. Mussels are prepared in this way in Italian kitchens too. If you want to use vegetables, tomato and eggplant slices can be covered in breadcrumbs and then browned for a great side dish. Spinach, butternut squash or cauliflower are good for this too. In Sweden, onions, preserved fish, and potatoes are served in the local au gratin potato recipe.
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