Casserole: scalloped potatoes savoyarde: need herb suggestions

Subject: scalloped potatoes savoyarde: need herb suggestions
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Josh Meyer (jmeyer at msg.ucsf.edu)
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 05:18:17 GMT
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i envision scalloped potatoes with an herbal background, but i can't put my finger on exactly what i want. i like rosemary with roasted potatoes, but i don't think that's what i want with scalloped ones. maybe a pinch of herbes de provence?

or, maybe it's not an herb i want but cheese. gruyere perhaps.

anyhow, any herb suggestions?
From: Dave Katz (DaveKatz at sk.sympatico.ca)
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 23:54:49 -0600
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Is this anything like what you are looking for:

1/2 pound shallots, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups heavy cream
4 to 5 Idaho potatoes, peeled, sliced thin (1/8-inch thick)
salt and pepper, to taste
butter

Oil a shallow baking pan and place shallots in a single row. Bake in 350 degrees F oven for 30 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and puree in food processor until smooth. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Heat heavy cream and blend with shallots in processor. Toss the Idaho Potatoes with salt and pepper. Butter a casserole dish and cover bottom with approximately 1/2 cup of shallot mixture. Layer with potatoes. Repeat until mixture and potatoes are used up. Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees F for one hour. Remove foil and bake another 1/2 hour. Remove from oven, let stand 20 minutes.

It comes from:
http://www.chilipaper.com/FRecipes/Fsides/Fpotatoes/roast_shallot_savoyarde_potato.htm
From: Josh Meyer (jmeyer at msg.ucsf.edu)
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 05:58:59 GMT
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Dave Katz wrote:
> Is this anything like what you are looking for:
>
> 1/2 pound shallots, peeled

holy moly. dats a lotta shallots. i love 'em though. i'll give it a try. thanks for the suggestion.
From: sackv at uni-duesseldorf.de (Victor Sack)
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 13:40:15 +0200
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Josh Meyer wrote:
> i envision scalloped potatoes with an herbal background, but i can't put my
> finger on exactly what i want. i like rosemary with roasted potatoes, but i
> don't think that's what i want with scalloped ones. maybe a pinch of herbes
> de provence?

People will fight over what really constitutes gratin savoyard, you know... especially on fr.rec.cuisine...

> or, maybe it's not an herb i want but cheese. gruyere perhaps.

Yes, if it is to become gratin Savoyard, you definitely want Gruyère (or perhaps Beaufort or Emmental). That, together with stock or broth instead of milk or cream, is what actually defines this dish and sets it apart from gratin Dauphinois (see Elizabeth David's _French Country Cooking_ for more on this). You also want salt, pepper and nutmeg, and garlic to rub the gratin dish. No herbs are used in this version.
From: morning glory (glory at ntlworld.com)
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 14:49:17 +0100
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Josh Meyer wrote:
> anyhow, any herb suggestions?

What about chives? I use freeze dried ready chopped - but fresh would be even better. Or if you want to be adventurous try a little lavender - delicate fragrance.
From: Jim Dolliver (jimd3 at world.std.com)
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 23:36:34 GMT
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Here's my .02.

I like comte for the cheese and some fresh tyme. Tyme should be in the herbes de provence.