serves 4–6
11⁄2 cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) heavy cream
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
3 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 11⁄2 tsp
minced thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lb (1 kg) Yukon gold potatoes,
peeled and cut into slices about
1⁄8 inch (3 mm) thick
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb (500 g) mixed wild and cultivated
mushrooms, tough stems removed and
medium and large caps sliced
4 Tbsp (2 oz/60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter
an 8-inch (20-cm) baking dish.
In a saucepan, combine the cream, garlic,
thyme sprigs, and a pinch each of salt and
pepper. Bring to a low boil over medium
heat, and then remove from the heat.
Gently stir the potato slices into the cream
mixture, cover, and let stand while you
cook the mushrooms.
In a frying pan, melt the butter with the
oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms
and a pinch of salt and sauté until the liquid
released by the mushrooms evaporates,
7–9 minutes. Add the minced thyme, season
with pepper, and cook for 1 minute.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes
from the cream. Arrange one-third of the
potato slices, slightly overlapping, on the
bottom of the prepared dish. Season lightly
with salt and pepper and sprinkle with
1 Tbsp of the Parmesan. Spread half of the
mushrooms over the potatoes and sprinkle
with another 1 Tbsp of the Parmesan. Repeat
the layers, using half of the remaining potatoes
and all of the remaining mushrooms, and
sprinkling with salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp
Parmesan between the layers of vegetables.
Top with the remaining potatoes and season
with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, gently
press on the vegetables to compact them.
Pour the cream mixture through a strainer
into the dish and sprinkle with the remaining
1 Tbsp Parmesan.
Cover the dish with foil and bake until the
potatoes are tender when pierced with a
knife, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and
bake until the gratin is golden brown and
bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about
10 minutes before serving.
MUSHROOM & POTATO GRATIN WITH THYME & PARMESAN
