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Recipe: Gratin de Pommes de Tarre aux Anchois and variations

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Gratin of Potatoes, Onions, and Anchovies (sausage substituted for anchovies variation) served with Haricots Verts a la Creme

Fancy Thursday! Man, it was good! Check back later for the green bean recipe, must be on Mr. Big Food’s computer. Do note that to the greens he added four stalks of fresh asparagus– and by fresh, I mean I walked outside, took out my pocket knife, and cut four stalks of tender asparagus.

GRATIN DE POMMES DE TARRE AUX ANCHOIS AND VARIATIONS

For 4 people

  • 2/3 C onions (minced)
  • 2 Tbsp butter (plus an additional 1 Tbsp (optional))
  • ½ lb raw potatoes (peeled if desired, diced, “about 2 cups,” dropped into boiling salted water, cooked 6 to 8 minutes “or until barely done,” drained thoroughly)
  • 8 to 10 anchovy filets (“packed in olive oil,” drained, 1 Tbsp oil from can reserved (optional))
  • 3 eggs (beaten with 1½ C whipping cream, ½ tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper OR 2 C Béchamel Sauce, seasoned well (see recipes in Basics section))
  • ¼ C 1 oz Swiss cheese, grated

“Gratinéed Dishes, Gratins: Any of the quiche mixtures in the preceding section may be baked in a shallow flameproof dish or pyrex pie plate rather than a pastry shell. They then officially become gratins. Most of the following, although they look more grand in a shell, are so substantial that they are perhaps better in a dish.” —Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One by Julia Child, Lousette Bertholle, and Simone Beck (1961/1970)

Variations

GRATIN DE POMMES DE TERRE ET SAUCISSON VARIATION

“Gratin of Potatoes, Onions, and Sausage”

Follow the preceding master recipe, but cut the potatoes into slices rather than dice, and substitute sliced uncooked Polish sausage for the anchovies, interspersing the sausage between the potato slice.

GRATIN DE POIREAUX

“Gratin of Leeks with Ham”

Use the same amount of eggs and cream or of béchamel sauce, as in the preceding potato and anchovy gratin, or substitute a sauce mornay (béchamel with cheese—see recipe in Sauces Derived from Béchamel and Velouté in Basics section), and prepare the leeks as follows:

12 leeks, ¾ inch thick, “use the white of leeks only … cut each into crosswise section about 2 inches long”

½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter

1 C water or stock (the latter preferably homemade—see recipes in Basics section)

6 to 8 thin slices cooked ham

Boil leeks in a covered saucepan over moderately high flame with salt, butter, and water or stock until liquid has almost completely evaporated, lower flame, and stew gently for 20 to 30 minutes or until leeks are very tender. Wrap each piece of leek in a piece of ham, arrange in a buttered dish, cove with eggs and cream (see recipe for Gratin de Pommes de Terre aux Anchois above), and bake as directed above.

GRATIN D’ENDIVES

“Gratin of Endive with Ham”

Use whole endives boiled in butter (see recipe for Endives à la Flamande in Vegetables section), wrap in ham, cover with egg and cream or béchamel sauce, and bake as directed above in the preceding master recipe.