Four Cheese Gratin Recipes

FOUR-CHEESE CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• For the sauce, melt the butter in a shallow saucepan. When it's just starting to sizzle, stir in the flour to make a paste. Cook for a minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Stir through the mustard, cream cheese, truffle oil (if using) and parmesan, and cook over a low heat until thickened. Season with lots of black pepper.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Trim the leaves off the cauliflowers and slice into rough steaks about 1cm thick. Don't worry about the outside bits not being slices - it will all be used. Assemble the dish a bit like a lasagne. Spoon a quarter of the cheese sauce into a large baking dish and spread it out, then add half of the cauliflower. Repeat the process, finishing with a thick layer of sauce. Scatter over the mozzarella, and the gruyère or cheddar and crispy onions.
• Bake for 1 hr 30-1 hr 45 mins until the cheese is golden and the cauliflower is soft but not mushy. If you want a golden finish, you can grill it (keep an eye on it) or leave it in when you turn the oven up for the crackling, if making the salt & vinegar roast pork as well. Once baked, leave to stand for 10 mins before serving in the middle of the table.

FOUR-CHEESE SCALLOPED POTATOES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Generously brush a large skillet with butter, then rub with the garlic. Combine the mozzarella, asiago and raclette in a bowl.
• Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the potatoes, spreading them out. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, half of the cut-up butter, half of the shredded cheese blend, and pepper to taste. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour the cream over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves; simmer 3 minutes. Dot the potatoes with the remaining cut-up butter.
• Generously brush a shallow baking dish with butter; slide the potatoes into the dish; arrange with a fork, if desired. (If your skillet is ovenproof, you can skip this step and bake the potatoes in the skillet.)
• Sprinkle the potatoes with the parmesan and the remaining shredded cheese blend. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Discard the bay leaves.
• Photograph courtesy Anna Williams

POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch (or 2-quart) baking dish with butter.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with the salt and pepper until evenly coated.
• Arrange some of the potato slices, edges overlapping, in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the potatoes, and then pour a quarter of the cream over the cheese. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cheese, and cream, forming 4 layers. Pour any leftover cream over top.
• Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and golden brown on top. Let the dish settle on the counter for about ten minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, if using, and then serve.
• Make Ahead: This dish can be assembled a day ahead; cover tightly with plastic wrap (pressing the wrap directly against the potatoes so they don't discolor), store in the refrigerator, and bake before serving. The potatoes on top will still discolor a bit in the fridge, but it shouldn't be noticeable after baking.

3 CHEESE POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Butter a large casserole dish then add a layer of sliced potatoes.
• Combine all the cheeses then reserve ? for the topping.
• Season the potatoes with salt, pepper and thyme. Add a few tablespoons of cheese. Repeat until all the potatoes and cheese have been used.
• Combine the milk, cornflour/cornstarch, cream, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.
• Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes. Press down to allow the cream to cover the potatoes.
• Cover the dish with foil then place in the oven.
• Allow to bake for 45 minutes until a knife can easily be inserted. Remove the foil, top with the remaining cheese and place back in the oven.
• Allow to bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes then serve.

DORIE'S FOUR-CHEESE POTATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Cook potatoes in boiling water 20 min. or just until tender; drain. Return to pan; cover with cold water. Let stand until cooled.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 2 min. Blend in flour; cook 1 min. Gradually add milk; cook 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add 1-1/4 cups shredded cheese; cook and stir 1 min. or until melted. Stir in mustard.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Peel potatoes; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Layer alternately with cheese sauce in 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray, ending with sauce.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheeses; bake 5 min. or until shredded cheese is melted.

MACARONI AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water and kosher salt to a boil. Add macaroni and return water to a boil; cook until barely al dente, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir the grated Grana Padano, Jarlsberg, and Cheddar cheeses to combine. Set aside. Taste a macaroni for doneness: it should be chewy yet firm. Strain macaroni in a colander and set aside.
• Add heavy cream and a pinch of sea salt to an oven-safe skillet; turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. When cream is simmering, fold in the macaroni. Continue to simmer to reduce and thicken, about 1½-2 minutes. Stir in ¼ of the cheese mixture to combine with noodles. Turn off the heat and stir in another ¼ of the cheese. Place remaining cheese over the top in an even layer (do not stir).
• Set rack in the oven about 4 inches from the broiler. Place skillet under the broiler until cheese melts and caramelizes into a golden brown crust, 3-5 minutes (keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn). Remove gratin from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

EASY AU GRATIN POTATOES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish; set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream; cook, whisking, until thickened, another 2 minutes or so. Add the thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg, half of the cheddar and half of the Gruyere. Whisk for about 1 more minute, making sure that all of the cheese is melted. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Arrange half of the potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Season with a little bit of salt. Pour half of the sauce over top. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top, season with another pinch of salt, and pour the remaining sauce over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 50-60 minutes (or until the potatoes are just about tender), then uncover and bake until browned on top, an additional 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve.

CAULIFLOWER TRIPLE CHEESE GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine cream, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, Asiago cheese, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Scoop 1 cup of cheese mixture in bottom of a baking dish. Layer cauliflower into baking dish; cover with remaining cheese mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven until cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.

FOUR-CHEESE GRATIN

Steps:

• Combine the goat cheese and blue cheese in a small bowl and mash with a fork until well crumbled. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes in the gratin dish. Season with salt and pepper. scatter half of the swiss cheese over the top then dot with half of the gat blue cheese mix. Cover with another 1/3 of the potaoes and season with salt and pepper. scatter the remaining swiss and goat blue cheese mix over the potatoes. Stir nutmeg into half/half pour over potatoes. heat till cream begins to simmer. sprinkle parm over top and slide into oven. bake for 1 hour, let rest for 10 min.