The first thing you will notice when you
take a look at Life is a Party by David
Burtka are the gorgeous photos. In each of the photos you will find delicious
food, clever entertaining ideas, or groups people having a heck of a lot of
fun. Right away, that should tell you, that this book is going to be your guide to hosting the perfect party.
Burtka has created a fabulous guide with 106 delicious recipes to be used in 16
different clever party themes, and 250 stunning photos to show you this is a
combination that works. The book includes music playlists for each theme, as
well as easy planning tips. In short, you simply cannot go wrong.
There wasn’t one recipe in this book that I didn’t want to try, making it very
difficult for me to choose. As a consequence, I put the book on the
counter on it’s a binding, and let it fall open. Lucky me, it fell open to the
recipe for French Onion Potatoes au Gratin. I am not kidding when I say that I
have never had cheese potatoes as good as these. It took real willpower to keep
from eating the entire bowl, they are that good.
Feast your eyes on this glimpse of one marvelous book. If
you scroll down to the bottom you’ll find the recipe for these sumptuous potatoes.
Run, don’t walk to your nearest bookseller and pick up a copy. You will find
yourself returning to this book again and again.
French Onion Potatoes au Gratin
Slightly adapted from Life is a Party
6 T. canola oil, plus more for greasing
3 lg. onions (about 2¼ pounds), quartered, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 to 8 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2½ pounds), peeled, very thinly sliced
12 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
2½ c. half-and-half
In a large straight-sided skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a large pinch each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are sticky, tender, brown, and nearly jammy, about one hour. If the onions stick to the pan at any time, add a tablespoon of water and use a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about five minutes. Turn off the heat and let the caramelized onions cool slightly. (The caramelized onions can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Brush a 9” x 13” baking dish with canola oil.
Lay 1/5 of the potatoes over the bottom of the pan. Season the potatoes with pinches of salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/5 of the caramelized onions, followed by 1/5 of the Gruyere, then pour 1/2 cup of the half and half and 1/5 of the cheese. Repeat this process four times.
Place baking dish on a large baking sheet and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle meets no resistance or the top is bubbling and browned, about 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time.
Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour to solidify before slicing into pieces and serving.
Slightly adapted from Life is a Party
6 T. canola oil, plus more for greasing
3 lg. onions (about 2¼ pounds), quartered, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 to 8 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2½ pounds), peeled, very thinly sliced
12 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
2½ c. half-and-half
In a large straight-sided skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a large pinch each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are sticky, tender, brown, and nearly jammy, about one hour. If the onions stick to the pan at any time, add a tablespoon of water and use a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about five minutes. Turn off the heat and let the caramelized onions cool slightly. (The caramelized onions can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Brush a 9” x 13” baking dish with canola oil.
Lay 1/5 of the potatoes over the bottom of the pan. Season the potatoes with pinches of salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/5 of the caramelized onions, followed by 1/5 of the Gruyere, then pour 1/2 cup of the half and half and 1/5 of the cheese. Repeat this process four times.
Place baking dish on a large baking sheet and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle meets no resistance or the top is bubbling and browned, about 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time.
Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour to solidify before slicing into pieces and serving.
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Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
6 comments:
Well Pattie how could they not be your favorite cheese potatoes with Gruyere in them! :) I love how you just let it fall open to choose a recipe.
You must stop reviewing cookbooks. I just ordered Martina's Kitchen Mix yesterday! I noticed that she has a music playlist included, and you mentioned that this cookbook also has playlists. I guess that is the new trend!
The onion soup looks delicious. I've never made it with sliced potatoes. I must try it.
It’s not onion soup, Thelma, it’s potatoes au gratin. But, the onions in this casserole are caramelized the way that they are in French onion soup. Do you try it, it is sumptuous.
It does look like a fabulous book Pattie, and the potatoes, swoon! I must try asap!
Jenna
Well heck - that sounds like I need it right now - especially the french onion potatoes ...yum...!!
your food attracts my attention...yummy
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