Serves 6
Ingredients
3 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (2 lbs.)
3 large leeks, sliced (3 ½ cups)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter (½ stick), cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon leaves or 1 tsp. dried tarragon
8 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup milk
Directions
Peel potatoes and slice about 1/8-inch thick. Set aside. Cut green tops off leeks on a diagonal, exposing more of white interior, and discard. Cut remaining white part of the leek into 1/8-inch-thick slices, discarding root end. Plunge the leeks into bowl of cold water. Lift leeks from water with hands, shake to remove excess water, and place in a colander to drain. Repeat several times to remove all sand and grit.
Preheat oven to 325°. Liberally butter a large, flat rectangular baking dish about 11-by-7-by-2 inches. Cover bottom of baking dish with an overlapping layer of about a third of potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use half the leeks to cover the potatoes. Dot with butter and sprinkle on half of the tarragon. Distribute a third of the blue cheese over the leeks. Continue layering with the potatoes, the leeks, salt, pepper, tarragon, butter, and blue cheese, repeating until all ingredients are used. End with potatoes, and crumble cheese on top. Pour milk over potatoes. Dot top with remaining butter. Bake 1 ½ hours, or until cheese on top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Copyright (c) 2000 by Paula Lambert, The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook and Guide. All rights reserved.