Apple and Potato Gratin with Gruyere & Sage

This light and delicious Apple and Potato Gratin by Chef Rebecca Boice of San Francisco's celebrated Zuni Café brings the cult classic restaurant’s simple stylings to the Thanksgiving table with a holiday side dish inspired by the season. "In my family, there’s always scalloped potatoes for Thanksgiving, so I wanted to create a similar dish to fill that comfort niche, but do something different. We had some beautiful apples in the walk-in fridge and also I remember my dad always puts cheese on his apple pie  —  so why not put gruyere in the gratin?" Interestingly, chef Boice doesn't use either stock or cream in the dish , but uses olive oil instead and lovely fresh tarragon and thyme. "This gratin is all about letting everything marinate to coax out their flavours". Baked for about 45 minutes until tender and golden brown, this is an easy gratin that would be perfect with roast chicken, pork or lamb or part of a classic turkey dinner. 



Apple and Potato Gratin with Gruyere, Sage & Thyme
Serves 3-4

1 lb small yellow onions
1 tbsp each of chopped fresh sage and thyme leaves
1 lb medium yukon potatoes  
1 lb Braeburn apples 
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 oz Gruyere, about 1 cup grated
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp salt


Preheat oven to 450°F. Peel, halve, and thinly slice the onions into half-moons and add to a large mixing bowl. Roughly chop the sage and thyme leaves and add to the same bowl. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the minced garlic and 1/4 cup of olive oil and toss to coat, then set aside.

Thinly slice the potatoes into the bowl with the onions and herbs, and fold everything together. Cut the unpeeled apples in half, and scoop out the cores with a spoon. Slice the apples to roughly the same thickness as the potatoes, and add to the bowl with the potatoes and onions. Give the bowl a few tosses, then let marinate for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly oil a 13-inch (or similar) baking dish. Give the potato mixture one final toss and taste for seasoning. Dump everything into the baking dish, including the juices at the bottom of the bowl, and press the mixture into a single layer. Cover with a layer of parchment and bake for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, grate the Gruyere with a box grater and set aside. After 30 minutes, remove the parchment paper. If the gratin looks dry, add a trickle of water or a drizzle of oil. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over top of gratin and bake for another 15 minutes. Once tender and golden, remove from the oven, and let the gratin rest for 5 minutes before serving.