Jalapeno Cheddar Potato Gratin
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
2 small jalapeños, one seeded and diced finely, the other diced finely with seeds, about 3 tablespoons altogether
1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks, light green part only
1 1/2 heaping teaspoons sea salt, preferably Maldon
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 pounds russet potatoes, about 4 large ones, scrubbed clean (or peeled) and sliced 1/8″ thin with mandoline
Instructions:
Serves 6-8 people.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grab a 9″ x 13″ baking pan and spray it with oil. Set aside.
In a medium-sized sauce pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat and toss in the jalapeños, leeks, salt, and pepper. Mix and saute until the leeks have softened, about 4 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and half and half and let it come up to a simmer. Take it off the heat and add the cheddar and jack cheeses, mixing thoroughly until totally melted.
Take half the sliced potatoes and lay them evenly onto the baking pan. Pour in half of the cheese sauce, spreading it all over the potatoes. Top with the remaining potatoes and finish with the last of the cheese sauce, using a spoon or spatula to spread it around completely so it goes into every nook and cranny.
Cover with aluminum foil and put in the oven to bake for 1 hour. After that, take the foil off and stick under the broiler until golden brown, just a few minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler.
Let cool slightly before digging in to serve.
From okiedokieartichokie.me