Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs Russet potatoes
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions:

  1. Rub the inside of a 9x13 inch ceramic baking dish with the halved garlic clove, then grease lightly with butter.
  2. In a large saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, smashed garlic, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes.
  3. Peel the potatoes and use a mandoline to slice them into 1/8th inch (3mm) rounds. Do not rinse the slices to preserve the starch.
  4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange potato slices in the baking dish in neat, overlapping rows.
  5. Strain the infused cream mixture through a fine-mesh strainer over the potatoes, discarding the aromatics. Ensure potatoes are mostly submerged.
  6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle evenly with grated Gruyère cheese and dot with the cubed butter.
  7. Bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes until the top is mahogany-colored and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.