"Upper Crust" Potato Gratin

3 pounds baking potatoes, such as Idaho Russets
1 quart whole milk
Bouquet Garni: several parsley stems, celery leaves, and sprigs of thyme, wrapped in the green part of a leek and securely fastened with cotton twine
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups freshly grated imported Gruyere cheese
1 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground white pepper to taste

Plump fresh garlic clove, halved lengthwise.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. If desired, rinse the potatoes to rid them of starch. Dry thoroughly in a thick towel.

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, milk, bouquet garni, nutmeg, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the butter, and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.

Prepare the topping:
In a medium-size bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the cream and 1 cup of the cheese, and stir to blend. Set aside.

Rub the bottom of the baking dish with the garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

With a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes to the baking dish.

Sprinkle with additional nutmeg, pepper, the remaining 1/2 cup cream, and the remaining 1 cup cheese.

Cover with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle again with nutmeg and pepper.

Cover with the reserved topping. Discard the milk and the bouquet garni.

Place the baking dish in the center of the oven and bake until the potatoes are crisp and golden on top, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings