Holiday Side: Provencal Potato Gratin Recipe

Who said preparing side dishes has to be frustrating and stressful? It can be an easy, enjoyable process. You can use short-cut ingredients or use make-ahead methods to simplify your work. Whether you are preparing this meal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, it will help you to make the most of your holiday cooking. Besides being one of the most flavorful holiday side dishes, it is colorful and will bring lots of cheer to your dinner table. Here’s the recipe courtesy of Food Network.

Holiday Side: Provencal Potato Gratin

Provencal Potato Gratin

Image via: Cooks Country

Ingredients

¼ cup of dry white vermouth

½ cup of chopped fresh basil leaves

⅓ cup of grated Parmesan

1 yellow onion (sliced)

1 red pepper (peeled, seeded, and diced)

1 cup of water

1 pound of plum tomatoes

3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling)

2 pounds of waxy potatoes (like Yukon gold), peeled

Salt and ground black pepper

4 large cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed)

Procedure

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rub one of the garlic cloves on the inner part of a casserole dish. Pour some olive oil inside the dish. Mince the remaining garlic.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, garlic, and salt and cook until tender (for about 8 minutes). Add the wine and simmer.
4. Slice the potatoes with a vegetable slicer or a mandoline (about ⅛-inch thick) and add them to the pan. Add the water, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens (for about 2 minutes). Add the basil.
5. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Distribute the potatoes evenly at the top. Slice the tomatoes (about ¼-inch thick) and arrange them on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the olive oil and add a little salt and pepper.
6. Bake the mixture uncovered until the potatoes become tender (for about 1½ hours). Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 15 more minutes (until brown and bubbly).
7. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. You can also serve the meal at room temperature.

Some people say that side dishes are the main features of the holiday table. They could be right. Many holiday side dishes are meant to play supporting roles on dinner tables but end up taking leading roles. Provencal Potato Gratin holds its own at any dinner table. It stands out for two major things: great taste and a simple procedure. Try making it this thanksgiving and see if it won’t be a huge hit. It is amazingly fresh and a favorite with all ages.

What family dinner recipe is your favorite this holiday season?