Sweet Potato Skillet Gratin
This cozy, cheesy dish is as delicious as it is beautiful.
I love the layered, rustic look of the classic dish, Ratatouille. I wanted to add my own twist with a rainbow array of sweet potatoes, baked till browned and bubbly in a creamy, cheesy sauce. It was meant as a side dish, but it stole the show. This is comfort food showing off with Mother Nature’s paint brush.
I’m a huge fan of sweet potatoes. In my book, they’re the only potatoes worth using, especially during the Fall season. The vibrant color and extra hint of sweetness add so much more to a dish than Yukon gold or red potatoes. So when I came across Purple sweet potatoes, a rare find at my local market, I was immediately inspired to create something colorful and delicious.
This dish accepts potatoes of all shapes and colors. Being they are rare, if you can’t find purple sweet potatoes, using a mix of Garnet or Jewel sweet potatoes and Yams will taste delicious.
Now let’s talk about cheese. The nutty, savory notes of the cheese really highlight the sweetness of the potatoes, so you want to use high quality aged Parmesan and Gruyere. If you can’t find Gruyere, two great substitutes are Jarlsberg or Beaufort. Both melt beautifully and add a wonderful flavor.
Bringing everything together is heavy cream, fresh chopped garlic, and loads of fresh thyme. Bake this mix up in a cast iron skillet and prepare to have everyone ask you for the recipe.
Sweet Potato Skillet Gratin
Serves 8
You’ll need:
10” or 12” cast iron skillet
1 tablespoon butter
2 large Purple sweet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 large Garnet or Jewel sweet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 large Hannah sweet potatoes or Yams, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1 heaping teaspoon garlic, minced
5 oz grated Parmesan cheese, divided into quarters
5 oz grated Gruyere (or Jarlsberg or Beaufort)
3 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped and divided, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter the cast iron skillet.
Pour 1/4 cup of heavy cream over the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with chopped garlic, and a quarter of the Parmesan cheese, spreading evenly to the sides. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the purple sweet potatoes with 1/4 cup heavy cream, a quarter of the Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange the Purple sweet potatoes in a curvy row down the center of the skillet.
In the same bowl, repeat the same steps with the Garnet sweet potatoes, arranging along side the Purple sweet potatoes. Then again, with the Hannah sweet potatoes, arranging along the other side. If extra potatoes slices remain, tuck them into the sides of the skillet.
Top with remaining 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the skillet and throw away the foil.
Sprinkle the grated Gruyere evenly over the top and sides of the skillet.
Return to the oven for an additional 25 minutes, till the potatoes are lightly browned and soft when poked with a fork. Garnish with fresh thyme and salt and pepper to taste.