Yukon Gold Potato And Wild Mushroom Gratin With Blue Cheese

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 5 ounces stilton blue cheese, crumbled, room temperature (about 1 1 /2 cups)
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb mixed fresh wild mushroom, thickly sliced (such as chanterelle, morel, portobello, stemmed shiitake, oyster, crimini or hedgehog)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced into rounds

Recipe

• 1 position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°f butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. place cheese in medium bowl; add 1/2 cup half and half. using fork, mash mixture to chunky paste. mix in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups half and half.
• 2 melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. add mushrooms, sherry, shallot, garlic and herbs; sauté until mushrooms, garlic and shallot are tender and liquid cooks away, about 8 minutes. (cheese sauce and mushrooms can be made 8 hours ahead. cover separately and chill.).
• 3 arrange half of potatoes on bottom of prepared dish. spoon 3/4 cup cheese sauce evenly over. top with all of mushroom mixture, 3/4 cup cheese sauce, then remaining potatoes. top with remaining cheese sauce. cover dish with foil.
• 4 bake gratin 30 minutes. uncover and bake until potatoes are tender, top is golden brown and sauce is thickened, about 30 to 40 minutes longer. let stand 10 minutes; serve hot.