We spent this Christmas, as the last three Christmases, with our good friends and their marvelous family. We wanted to share one of our favorite dishes for the sumptuous table. Our favorite go-with for Prime Rib Roast is Potato and Leak Au Gratin, a Matha Stewart Living entry from several years back. I knew that the amount that I cooked wouldn’t go around, if it was a hit. When my wife went to clean the French porcelin gratin dish it had been scraped clean, except for the bubbly dark brown residue that forms along the sides of the dish. Everyone wanted the recipe. I want to share it with them, but I also want to share it with you, so here goes.

Serves 6 to 8

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish; 2 Leeks trimmed, thinly sliced and rinsed,(about one cup); 6 Russet Potatoes (about 2.5Lbs.) peeled and thinly sliced; 1/2 Tsp coarse salt; 1/8 Tsp freshly grated nutmeg; Fresh ground pepper to taste; 8 ounces Gruyère cheese shredded (about 3 cups); 1 cup Heavy Cream; 1 cup low-sodium ChickenStock.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 12 cup baking dish or gratin dish. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add Leeks, and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Arrange 1/3 of the potatoes in dish, slightly overlapping the slices in a spiral. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the salt-pepper-nutmeg mixture, followed by 1/2 of the sauteed Leeks and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat second layer. Top that with third layer of remaining potatoes in a spiral. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Combine cream and stock, carefully pour over cheese and potatoes. Cover with foil. (Mixture can be refrigerated over night if necessary.
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 425°, uncover, and cook until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, about, 45 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Notes.

1. When peeling the potatoes, keep the slices in a deep water bowl to keep them from turning brown. Shake extra water off before placing in the gratin dish. I always have left over slices. Try to purchase medium large tubular shaped russets, for consistantly round slices.
2. DON’T forget the nutmeg-salt-pepper mixture on the first and second layers.
3. Don’t be afraid to use more cheese than the recipe calls for, especially on the top layer.

ENJOY!!!!

From Martha Stewart Living

Believe me, my friends and readers, when I say I have found the Holy Grail, and just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

One of my best friends, who travels three and a half hours, to and fro, to my home for Thanksgiving has told me on numerous occasions that there is a secret to cooking the Thanksgiving bird. “Can’t be. Hum Bug.” I said, “I have been cooking Thanksgiving birds for forty years, and know what I’m doing.”  “Okay,” says he, “Just trying to be helpful.”

I learned the secret to cooking Salmon, to cooking pork chops and to cooking chicken but I never considered cooking a turkey the same way. Too big, I thought. Too much trouble, I weighed. Too time consuming, I mused. Then from out of the blue my Sur la Table Thanksgiving Catalogue shows up and lo and behold an Urban Accents product feature catches my eye. The Holy Grail for $19.95 plus free shipping, can’t beat that.

Sure enough the main catalogue was out of the product and might not get it back in stock in time for Thanksgiving. DRAT!!!

Not to be put off, I called the closest Sur La Table Store near me and they said they had the Holy Grail in stock and would send it with free shipping. When the package arrived I opened it, read the instructions and got right to work. The night before Thanksgiving I placed my sixteen pound, free range beauty, in the heavy plastic bag provided in the package, breast down. I poured one quart of cold water in a 7 quart pot, poured in the Holy Grail and brought it to a boil. I took it off the stove and allowed it to cool. I poured four more quarts of cold water into the mix, then poured it all in the heavy duty plastic bag which nearly covered the bird. I poured enough cold water in to cover the bird about one inch, about a half quart more and refrigerated the results.

The next afternoon, Thanksgiving, at two thirty PM I rinsed off my beautiful bird, tented it and placed it, unstuffed, in a 325 ° oven for twelve minutes a pound. I removed the tent one half hour before completion. At six PM we sat down to eat and everyone, to a man, raved at the dinner table. Three days later the Turkey meat was still moist, tender and tastey for the last of the turkey sandwiches. The best Turkey I have ever cooked. PS No basting, my mom was wrong on that one.

Yes friends, brining is the Holy Grail of Turkey cooking. The kit said 30 minutes per pound in the brine, but I did it for twelve hours, plus or minus. The product is Urban Accents Turkey Brine and Rub Kit. You will never cook a better Turkey. Enjoy.