Potatoportobello Gratin Recipes

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup soaking liquid. Chop porcini; set aside. Remove and chop stems from portobellos; place in large bowl. Using small spoon, scrape away dark gills from portobellos and discard. Cut portobello caps into 1/2-inch pieces; add to bowl.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped portobello stems and caps and sauté 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and reserved porcini and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat each of two 13x9x2-inch glass baking dishes with 1 tablespoon oil. Combine remaining 7 tablespoons oil, potatoes, parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in large bowl; toss to coat. Layer 1/6 of potato mixture in each prepared dish (there will not be enough to overlap slices). Top potatoes in each with 1/4 of mushroom mixture. Repeat layering. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour 1/3 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid over potatoes in each dish. Cover dishes with foil.
• Bake gratins 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until tops are brown and potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Cover with foil and rewarm in 350°F oven about 20 minutes.)
• *Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and many supermarkets.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with sides with a sheet of parchment. Place mushrooms gill side up on parchment. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves, and scatter over mushrooms. Place a thyme sprig on each mushroom, drizzle caps with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place in oven until soft and releasing liquid, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove, and allow to cool. Keep oven on.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet, add onions, and sauté over medium-low heat until soft and beginning to color. Add cream and milk, scald, and remove from heat. Use remaining butter to grease a 9-inch gratin dish about 2 inches deep. Rub dish with remaining garlic clove.
• Remove and reserve garlic from mushrooms. Discard thyme. Slice mushrooms 1/2 inch thick.
• Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in gratin dish, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, scatter with half the reserved sliced garlic. Arrange half the mushroom slices on top. Repeat layers. Layer last third of potatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper. Pour scalded milk and cream with onions on top. Strew bread crumbs on top.
• Place gratin dish on a baking sheet, and place in oven. Bake about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender and liquid has thickened. If top browns too fast, tent with foil. Allow to stand 10 minutes, then serve.

Steps:

• Split 6 portobello mushroom caps to make 12 thin rounds. Toss 1 1/4 cups shredded muenster cheese, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 grated garlic clove, and salt and pepper. Layer the portobello rounds and cheese mixture in a baking dish, making 3 layers of each. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons water, cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees F, 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 8 more minutes.

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cheeses in a large bowl. Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream, garlic and thyme to cheese mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add potato slices and toss with your hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.
• Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter. Pick up a handful of potatoes, organizing them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working around the perimeter and into the center until all the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be very tightly packed. If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add to casserole. Pour the excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all the excess liquid.
• Cover dish tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve.