Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours (mostly unsupervised baking)
Rating
4(252)
Notes
Read community notes

Wild mushrooms add a luxurious dimension to this comforting, almost classic potato gratin. There is no cream here, just milk mixed with porcini broth (the result of soaking dried porcinis for 30 minutes in boiling water). You can use a mix of wild mushrooms, or just one type. Sauté them with onion or shallots, garlic and savory herbs (thyme and rosemary or sage), season them well and toss with the potatoes. The gratin requires 1½ hours in the oven; first you will doubt that all of the liquid will be absorbed by the potatoes, and about halfway through you will be convinced that the finished dish will be watery and the potatoes hard. But by the end, once all the bubbling has subsided, the soft potatoes will have imbibed all of the flavorful liquid in the dish, and the top and edges of the gratin will be crusty, the way a gratin should be.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6 to 8

  • ½ounce (about ½ cup) dried porchinis
  • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1pound wild mushrooms, torn into smaller pieces if large, cleaned if necessary
  • ½cup finely chopped onion or 2 shallots, minced
  • 2garlic cloves, minced, plus ½ garlic clove, intact
  • 1teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or sage
  • Salt
  • ¼cup dry white wine
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • pounds russet potatoes, golden potatoes or Yukon golds, scrubbed, peeled if desired, and sliced about ¼ inch thick
  • 1cup, tightly packed, grated Gruyère cheese (4 ounces )
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2-½ cups milk (whole or 2 percent)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

242 calories; 11 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 594 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and pour on 1½ cups boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Drain mushrooms, then squeeze in cheesecloth to extract juices. Rinse several times and chop medium-fine. Measure out 1 cup of broth.

  2. Step

    2

    Meanwhile heat oven to 375 degrees. Rub inside of a 3-quart gratin dish or baking dish all over with the cut half garlic clove and lightly oil with olive oil. Heat oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion or shallots and cook gently until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn up heat to high and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to sweat, 2-3 minutes, reduce heat to medium, and add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary or sage and dried porcinis. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 more minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until it is no longer visible in the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

  3. Step

    3

    In a large bowl combine potatoes, mushrooms, half the cheese, and salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer in gratin dish.

  4. Step

    4

    Combine milk and mushroom broth. Season generously with salt and pour over the potatoes and mushrooms. Press the vegetables down into the liquid. Bake 1 hour. Every 20 minutes remove gratin dish and press potatoes and mushrooms down into the liquid with the back of a large spoon. After 1 hour, sprinkle on remaining cheese and bake for another 30 minutes, until top is golden and the sides crusty. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: You can make this a few hours ahead and reheat in a medium oven.

Ratings

4

out of 5

252

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Idalu

Good but took way too long (over 3 hrs). Not really practicable for most people.

Bill Ahlstrom

Simple and very good. Added chopped garlic. Used more cheese and less liquid than called for. Also added sliced Portabella. Prep time was 45 mins; cooking time 90 mins.

JH

Very time consuming to make. There was too much liquid left in the pan even after more than 90 minutes in the oven and 20 minutes resting. I would recommend first simmering all the ingredients together in a Dutch oven on the stove until the potatoes are almost done, then sprinkling the remaining cheese on top and putting the entire thing in the preheated oven for another 20-30 minutes to brown the cheese. This way you can see the amount of liquid you need and also cut down on cooking time.

Betty

Although time consuming, this dish is outstanding and worth the work and wait. Remarkably,it turns out looking exactly like the picture. It makes quite a bit, and the left overs taste even better the next day. Using a mandolin to slice the potatoes makes short work, of them and helps them cook evenly. It's a real treat!

RTab0625

Has anyone tried using a nondairy milk? Which would work best, if any?

Brenda

Delicious. I made it as written. Perhaps the key is the size of the pan. My pan was larger so the ingredients were shallow. Perfect texture with no extra liquid and no extra cooking time.

Suzanne

Very good, quite rich dish. The prep is somewhat time-consuming but when made for 2 it can be reheated for additional meals. I couldn't get wild mushrooms so used a mix of Portobello, sh*take, and oyster mushrooms.

TDub

Used a mix of baby Bella’s and wild mushrooms and a 1/4 c of veg broth ILO porcini broth. Yes, this is a fairly time consuming dish, but we’ll worth it. Soooo good and makes great leftovers w a salad.

Too much liquid

I might use half a cup of broth and 1.5 cups of milk if I made this again

Carla

No dried mushrooms - used veggie broth. Ricotta and parmesan cheese mixed in with milk. 1/2 recipe.

Cynthia

Far too much liquid after 90 minutes of cooking and 20 minutes of rest. Tasty, and will be great leftovers, just perplexed about the amount of remaining liquid.

Elizabellaire

Fabulous! I made tonight, and was a hit for all. I added some spinach (maybe 6 oz?), increased the cheese, and reduced the liquid ( based upon other suggestions). I also used the convection oven, which allowed it to be done in about 50 minutes total. Last 2 minutes under the broiler. YUM!

Robin G

I followed the recipe exactly and the whole milk curdled early in the baking process. Did this happen to anyone else?

Robin G

I followed the recipe exactly, the flavor is outstanding but the whole milk curdled towards the beginning of baking. Any ideas why this may have happened?

Beverly

This was more time-consuming than I expected, but it turned out exactly as described with no extra cooking time. It was a huge hit with our friends!! Delicious!

Andrew H

This recipe seemed like a great idea but was bland to the point of near tasteless. I used equal portions of shiitake, hen of the wood and chicken of the woods mushrooms. Next time I'll increase the garlic, porcini and shiitake....if there is a next time.

Terry McLaury

Used plant based milk. I added goat cheese because I didn’t have enough cheese. I also added nutmeg and substituted white pepper. Delicious!

Bill

Very good. Next time we make it we’ll add some greens and canned anchovies or tuna. Probably anchovies.

Daira Muldoon

Followed these easy directions and only deviated (due to COVID) with dried wild mushrooms and added some rosemary. Other than that it was a terrific treat with a rib eye steak (stove top seared and finished off in the oven) and crispy oven fried asparagus.

Jeanette

Flavor was delicious, but I would add more cheese and less liquid if I made it again.

Marina

I combined this recipe with Martha Rose Shulman's recipe for potato and pesto gratin with delicious results! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013880-potato-and-pesto-gratinInstead of mixing the potatoes with the mushrooms and onions, I tossed them with the pesto and then layered the two mixtures in a pan before baking with the combination of mushroom broth and milk. Turned out deliciously flavorful and not too heavy!

Brenda

Delicious. I made it as written. Perhaps the key is the size of the pan. My pan was larger so the ingredients were shallow. Perfect texture with no extra liquid and no extra cooking time.

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Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between scalloped and gratin potatoes? ›

The difference comes down to cheese. Scalloped potato recipes are usually baked in a basic cream sauce until soft and tender, with no cheese topping. Potatoes au gratin are a bit more decadent. They are made with lots of cheese sprinkled in between the layers of potatoes and also on top of the casserole.

What is wild mushroom sauce made of? ›

Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and simmer until reduced slightly, then pour in the cream. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer gently for about five minutes.

What makes a gratin a gratin? ›

Gratin (French: [ɡʁatɛ̃]) is a culinary technique in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or butter. The term may be applied to any dish made using this method. Gratin is usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind.

Why are my au gratin potatoes watery? ›

If you used a pre-prepped potato from the refrigerator section instead of slicing your own, they can have preservatives that make them a bit watery. If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole.

Why are scalloped potatoes called funeral potatoes? ›

Why are they called funeral potatoes? Funeral potatoes get their unique name from being a crowd-pleasing casserole served as a side dish at after-funeral luncheons (particularly in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

What does gratin mean in French? ›

The phrase au gratin literally means "by grating" in French, or "with a crust," from the verb gratter, "to scrape, scratch, or grate."

Is Worcestershire sauce the same as mushroom ketchup? ›

It is one of the most classic of British condiments. Commercial brands make in the UK are good but hard to find in the United States, where they also tend to be overpriced. While you can substitute Worcestershire or soy sauce, the flavor is not quite the same, so here is a recipe for homemade mushroom ketchup.

What Flavour is wild mushroom? ›

This mushroom is one of our favourites, they have a mushroomy flavour with a slightly nutty and sweet side. Ideal for use in any dish you would normally put a mushroom in. The texture is slightly firmer than normal supermarket mushrooms meaning you get more of a meaty bite from them in stews or pies.

What is the wild mushroom that tastes like chicken? ›

Some species, especially Laetiporus sulphureus, are commonly known as sulphur shelf, chicken of the woods, the chicken mushroom, or the chicken fungus because it is often described as tasting like and having a texture similar to that of chicken meat.

What is a substitute for cream in gratin? ›

Substituting Milk for Heavy Cream

Whole milk alone can work in some instances as a substitute. At 3.5%, its fat content is low, but it's a good substitute in mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin.

What goes with potato gratin? ›

Serve the gratin with beef such as London broil or even a simply roasted chicken for a classic meal.

How deep should a gratin dish be? ›

The vessel best suited for most au gratin dishes is, simply enough, an au gratin pan. It can be round, oval or rectangular, and most commonly it is about an inch and a half deep.

Why did my au gratin potatoes turn GREY? ›

Once they have been peeled and cut, raw potatoes will turn brown quickly. This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat.

Does soaking potatoes in water make them soggy? ›

After too long, the potatoes may start to absorb water, which could result in mushy fries. So, while an overnight soak may be beneficial for steak-cut french fries, you might want to allot only a few hours at most when it comes to thinner varieties.

How far in advance can you slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes? ›

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown.

Which is cheesier scalloped or au gratin? ›

The cream is often infused with an aromatic, such as garlic or fresh herbs. Potatoes au gratin, on the other hand, has grated cheese sprinkled between the layers, resulting in a cheesy, more decadent dish. Fresh breadcrumbs are also often sprinkled on top of the dish before it goes into the oven.

What is the difference between delmonico potatoes and scalloped potatoes? ›

They're easily confused. But the difference between them all comes down to the cheese: Traditionally, potatoes au gratin has cheese and scalloped potatoes doesn't.

Why should the potato slices for the gratin not be soaked in water before adding to the cream? ›

I don't recommend soaking the potatoes in water ahead of time for our potatoes au gratin (as some recipes call for). Soaking them will cause them to lose some of their starch, which helps to keep this dish creamy.

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