Roquefort Potato Gratin

 I haven't been shopping in a week (except for a small trip to Walmart for some coffee and a can of chicken stock) because I wanted to try and use up what was in my fridge and cupboards. 

Here's what I found in my kitchen (and the prices I purchased them for)...

•  A five pound bag of potatoes - $1 (on clearance)
• Gorgonzola - $1.65
• A pint of organic 1/2 and 1/2 - $1.00
• Chicken thighs, 4 pack - $2.70
• Leftover red wine that's been sitting in the bottle for a couple of weeks
• Carrots that were starting to go soft

How did I get this stuff so cheap?  Go here to see how I shop.

So I made...

~ Menu ~

Chicken Coq Au Vin

Roquefort Potato Gratin



I am estimating it cost me about $6.25 to create this meal (for 2) but I'll just go ahead and round it to $7.00.

That means $3.50 per person with leftovers for the next day. Not bad for something that cost around $20 at the bistro I used to work at.

Today I'm going to only post about the gratin because I am a little short on time and have a lot of pictures to upload for this one.  I don't have a set recipe, this is more of a use-your-own-judgement sort of deal.

Here's what I used (Approximations)

5 medium-sized russet potatoes
2-3 cups of milk, 1/2 and 1/2, cream or a mix (I used 1/2 and 1/2 and low fat milk)
Tablespoon or two of butter
Sprig of rosemary (thyme would be good too)
1/4 small onion, diced
Roquefort cheese
Shredded parmesan cheese (grated should be fine too)

Method

Slice potatoes as thinly as possible (use a slicer if you have one or just do the best with your knife...  It'll turn out fine), set aside. 

***

Bring milk to a boil with butter, rosemary and onion, set aside. 

***

 Evenly layer potatoes, (slightly overlapping) in a buttered casserole dish (I used a cake pan) no more that 12" in width or diameter.  Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with roquefort (easy with this one, it has a strong flavor) and parmesan cheeses.  Layer more potato, season, sprinkle cheese.  Repeat this until you get close to the top of the pan.  End the last layer with potato. 

***

 Strain the hot milk onto the potatoes, making sure the top layer is covered with the milk.

***

  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.  Remove foil, and continue to bake until the gratin is golden brown on top and the potatoes have absorbed all the liquid.  Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.