Meridian Cafe's sweet potato-apple gratin

Meridian Cafe's sweet potato-apple gratin

posted by Mikulak

Thursday, January 8, 2009

3 medium sweet potatoes, about 2 1/2 pounds
2 or 3 Granny Smith apples, about 1/2 pound
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs


Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut one of them into large dice. Slice the others thinly, about 1/8-inch. Peel, core and slice the apples.

In a small sauce pan, place the diced potato and enough cold water to cover completely. Bring to boil, and cook until fork tender, about 12 minutes. Drain the cooked potato, then mash in a bowl and allow to cool.

Add the heavy cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg to the mashed sweet potato, and stir to blend well.

Lightly spray an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with a layer of the sliced sweet potatoes, and cover them with a layer of the apples. Top the layers with 1/3 of potato cream mixture. Repeat the process two more times, ending with the last of the mashed sweet potatoes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter and toss with the panko breadcrumbs. When the gratin is ready, remove the foil. Sprinkle the buttered panko evenly over the gratin, and press in lightly. Broil until golden brown.

Serves 6.

Find this recipe at:

http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/fea04/blog.html