What is the Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes?

John is a retired chef and avery serious gadget-guy - so, we have a crapton of... stuff. I used to be a bakery baker, and in some ways, I'm truly a gadget kinda gal. 'The right tool for the job', and all that. In other -bigger- ways, I'm very much all about the 'multi-purpose' tools, but these two perspectives aren't necessarily at odds. A springform pan is a great multi-tool, to me - especially in conjunction with the parchment paper. I found a springform pan that has a couple extra bottoms, that also works as a bundt and a heart-shaped pan, but pretty much any springform pan will also work as a normal cake pan, too. While still not waterproof, a good one will form a very tight seal, and (most of the time) by the time anything would begin to leak out, those edges would already have baked well enough to seal it. In the case of this dish, that wouldn't likely work, and that is where the parchment comes in. The trick is in buttering/oiling the parchment enough to make it very flexible, before attempting to fit it to the pan.

One of our many favourite dishes is a potato and leek gratin that I cannot for the life of me find the source of the original recipe for.

When I copy out recipes, I usually try to attribute its source, often the name of the friend that shared it.

Anyhow, it orginally contained cream and stock but I now use neither, dropped the coriander because its so divisive - there appears to be no middle ground, folks love or hate it. Fortunately hubby loves it, late mother in law was a hater😉

I sweat the leeks in garlic and olive oil, keep any liquid to add to the dish and am generous with freshly grated black pepper.

Although we own a fancy mandolin, the food processor has a slicer attachment that allows adjustment of the thickness of the slices. Thinnest setting works best to ensure the potato is thoroughly cooked but more work layering them.

The bottom and middle layers are totally haphazard, only the top has a semblance of order unlike Jordan's beautifully presented Pommes Anne.

Dotted butter and a generous slug of ev olive oil drizzled across the top finishes it off and then baked until golden brown.

Just the two of us for Christmas dinner this year, first year since 2017 that we have been alone on Christmas day - always a dog for company though and this year, two.

Our 13 year old Brittany, lab, springer cross and 10m old Blenheim Cavalier King Charles.

Anyhow, we are having it with our roast chicken.