Potatoes Part 4- Scalloped (with cream)

This recipe is a variation of a Martha Stewart recipe that I watched her prepare on TV several years ago. Traditional recipes for this dish often use flour and milk to create the creamy sauce; this recipe, well, it simply uses cream.

Ingredients:
- potatoes, (the more people you are serving, the more you need)
- 35% cream, (the more potatoes you are using, the more you need)
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half
- enough butter to grease the baking dish
- some fresh thyme sprigs
- salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375º F. Choose a baking dish that will a) look good as a serving dish, and b) reasonably contain the volume of potatoes that you are planning on serving. It is best to not have the dish absolutely jammed to the top with potatoes to allow for some bubbling up of the cream during the baking process. Rub the bottom and sides of the dish with the ‘cut’ side of the garlic clove. Grease the inside of the baking dish with butter. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice. Place a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom of the dish, season with salt and pepper and a few thyme leaves. Repeat this layering process until you have used up all of your potatoes. Pour the cream into the baking dish until it almost reaches the top layer of potatoes. Bake between 1 to 1.5 hours or until the potatoes are cooked (use your trusty knife test). As the potatoes near the end of the cooking process, you can spread a handful of grated Gruyere cheese on top to create a lovely brown crust.

Editorial Note: I know that everyone is trying to cut down on their salt intake but in my experience with this recipe, if you do not use sufficient salt, it will taste rather bland.