A traditional decadent French side dish. Thin slices of potato slow-cooked in the oven with cream and garlic, making the dish utterly irresistible. Very few ingredients, but full of flavour. Perfect when served with grilled chicken, salmon or roast pork.
Preheat the oven to 160°C or fan oven 140°C. Rub the butter all over the inside of an oven safe dish. Peel and slice the potatoes to a width of 3mm. Lay the slices on a clean tea towel and pat dry. Keep them covered with the tea towel while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a saucepan, sweat off the garlic in an oil or a tablespoon of butter.
Pour in the milk and cream, and add the thyme. Slowly heat the milk and cream. Just as it's about to reach boiling point, you'll see bubbles appearing around the edge of the pan. Remove it from the heat when this happens. Strain the liquid into a large jug, and sprinkle in the nutmeg.
Layer half the potato slices in the dish, slightly overlapping the slices and sprinkling with a little salt and freshly ground pepper between each layer.
Pour half the hot milk and cream mixture over the potatoes, then finish off layering the rest of the potatoes. Pour over the rest of the hot milk and cream. Bake for about one hour, until golden and tender. Leave the dish to stand for about 5 minutes, then serve sprinkled with a few fresh thyme leaves.
