Recipe: Potato Gratin with Green Chilies (1980's)

POTATO GRATIN WITH GREEN CHILIES

"This is a recipe from a fantastic Southwest cookbook called The Feast of Santa FE by Huntley Dent it has a lot of the Recipes my mom and Grandma cooked plus a lot of other great non-traditional recipes. Like this one." David Tellez, 1994

2 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 cup chicken stock
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Generous dash of pepper
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled
1/3 cup canned green chilies (or about 3 whole chilies, chopped)*
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
Salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease shallow gratin dish or casserole.

Bring chicken stock, garlic, cumin and black pepper to boil in saucepan.

Cut potatoes in 1/8-inch slices. Arrange half the potato slices in baking dish, evenly dot them with half the green chilies, then sprinkle half the cheese over them. Salt lightly or not at all depending on the saltiness of the chicken broth. Repeat with remaining potatoes, chilies and cheese to make a second layer. Remove garlic clove from boiling broth and carefully pour broth over potatoes. Dot the surface with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the surface of the gratin is browned and the potatoes are knife tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve.

*For hotter chile flavor either add 1 teaspoon canned chopped jalapenos along with the mild chilies or offer a salsa at the table for guests to spoon over the gratin at will.

"If you like this recipe buy the book it is the best and most Authentic Southwest cookbook I have found. I'm from Los Angeles but my family originated in New Mexico. Buen Comida a todos." - David Tellez