Active Time

　　35 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hours

　　Aligot gratin with horseradish cream

　　Peasant ingenuity triumphs in this simple, soul-satisfying dish from France's mountainous Auvergne region. It's the perfect foil for grilled or roasted meat.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

　　2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (6 medium)

　　4 garlic cloves

　　1 1/4 teaspoons salt

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

　　3/4 cup whole milk

　　3/4 pound Cantal or Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated on large holes of a box grater (5 cups)

　　1/2 teaspoon black pepper

　　2/3 cup chilled heavy cream

　　2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish

　　

Special Equipment

a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with medium disk; 1 (2-quart) ceramic or metal shallow baking dish or 6 (1-cup) shallow gratin dishes

　　

Step 1

Cover potatoes with salted water > by 2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot and simmer until very tender, about 40 minutes. Drain in a colander.

　　

Step 2

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt using side of a large heavy knife.

　　

Step 3

When potatoes are cool enough to handle when held in a kitchen towel, peel and force through ricer into cleaned saucepan. Add butter, garlic paste, and milk and cook over moderately low heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until fluffy and heated through, about 2 minutes. Add cheese and pepper and cook, stirring vigorously with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until cheese is melted, smooth, and almost taffylike, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Preheat broiler. Butter baking dish. (If using 6 individual gratin dishes, butter and put on a baking sheet.)

　　

Step 5

Transfer potato mixture to baking dish, smoothing top.

　　

Step 6

Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, then beat in horseradish and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread horseradish cream over potato mixture and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat, rotating gratin if it isn't browning evenly, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.