Rustic Potato and Poblano Gratin

From The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker

If you think ordinary when you think of slow cookers, think again. And if you think of chicken, beef, and pork, Lynn Alley will give you an attitude adjustment. You can take your meatless meals to a new level with her new book, The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals From Around the World. Try this recipe and you’ll see why Alley’s recipes, though exceedingly easy, are anything but run of the mill.

Serves 4

Potatoes and chiles are “New World” stuff, and yet, as it turns out, they have nourished millions of people around the world since they were brought to the “Old World” by European explorers just a few hundred years ago. Here is a simple dish combining the Old World and New World ingredients, stewed together in the pot—in this case, the slow cooker. Unlike conventional scalloped potatoes baked in a gratin pan, where “design” matters, I recommend gently stirring these potatoes once or twice during their cooking time to evenly distribute the good stuff and ensure even cooking.

4 poblano chiles
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt to taste (smoked, if possible)
1/4 pound flavorful jack or sharp cheddar cheese, grated or sliced
1/2 cup water
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

To roast the chiles, place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil about 8 inches from the broiler. Broil them until the skin blisters and turns black on both sides. (Do not burn the chiles themselves.) Remove the baking sheet from the oven and quickly cover the chiles with a clean dish towel. Let them sit, covered, until they are cool. Using a paring knife or your fingers, carefully peel off the skins, then slit one side and remove the seeds and veins. Cut the chiles into thin strips.

Melt the butter in the bottom of the slow cooker insert.

Place a layer of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker insert. (I use a bit more than one potato per layer.) Sprinkle lightly with freshly ground smoked or regular salt. Place a thin layer of cheese (about one-third of the cheese) on top of the potatoes. Place about half of the chile strips on top of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, salt, cheese, and chiles. Finish with a layer of potatoes.

Pour the water over the potatoes. Cover and cook on low for about 11/2 hours, or until the potatoes are beginning to get tender.

Using a garlic press, press the garlic into the cream; pour the cream mixture over the potatoes, then add a last layer of cheese sprinkled with a bit of salt. Recover and cook for another 3 hours, or until the sauce has thickened and the potatoes are quite tender.

Suggested Beverage: A dry white wine of light to medium body would work for me with this dish. A French or Mexican Chardonnay or even a cava (Spanish sparkling wine) would also be nice.

TD&N Nutrient analysis using reduced-fat cheddar cheese and half and half: Calories: 420; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 88 mg; Carbohydrates: 72 g; Fiber: 5 g; Protein: 12 g

Reprinted with permission from The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals From Around the World by Lynn Alley, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc, www.tenspeed.com