Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by New York Times Cooking
Equipment
10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
2tbspbutter
3leeks, trimmed, halved, cleaned, & chopped
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
3cloves of garlic
1cupheavy cream
2fresh thyme sprigs
1small bay leaf
¼tspnutmeg
1½lbsYukon gold potatoes
¾cupGruyere cheese, shredded
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes or until softened and starting to caramelize. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Remove from the skillet to a bowl and set aside until needed.
Add the minced garlic to the cast iron skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the cream, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg then remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Pour the cream into a dish and set aside until needed.
Slice the peeled potatoes into 1/8-inch thick rounds using a mandoline or sharp knife.
Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Season with a bit of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Top with half of the leeks and 1/4 cup of shredded Gruyere cheese. Finish the final layer with remaining potatoes, season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper and then top with the remaining leeks. Pour the warmed cream evenly over the potatoes & leeks then sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
Cover with a lid or some tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the lid or tin foil and cook until golden brown & bubbling, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy.