Potato and Canadian Bacon Galette with Sage and Gruyere

Mary Anne here. Mariel’s recent complaint about mayo-laden potato and macaroni salads got me thinking about this old catering standard of scalloped potatoes and cheese. But first, a little reminiscing. When I was a young girl, my mom used to dish up “Au Gratin Potatoes” when she was feeling gourmet-ish. Her genuinely thoughtful attempt at treating her brood to something different and special did not impress six rowdy kids, aching for burgers and dogs. We thoughtfully dubbed Mom’s creation “Old Rotten Potatoes” and sneered pretty much every time she tried to expand our palates. Nice.

Obviously somewhere along the line I took the turn and tortured my own tots with far-too-fancy fare, but I’m getting the last laugh now, as Mariel and her brothers are turning into more proficient cooks than I! And my darling daughter, in particular, doesn’t cease to amaze me with her adventurous and creative combos like that Watermelon and Cucumber Salad. Still haven’t gotten over that one!

Anyway, if you’re sick of mayonnaise laden summer salads, this is an enticing segue from the heat of high summer to the promise of a cooling late August. The galette is rich enough to make you consider caloric intake, while light and flavorful with just the right balance of cream and cheese. The sage and nutmeg round out the earthy flavors making this the perfect foil for fish or fowl and certainly alongside a juicy steak. Bon appetit!

BTW, Canadian bacon is lower cal than regular bacon – 60 calories per 3 slice serving, just in case you really are thinking calories.

 Print This Recipe

Potato and Canadian Bacon Galette with Sage and Gruyere
Serves 8 as a Side

Note: I used Yukon Gold potatoes, as they were the same price as basic Idaho baking potatoes. They’re a bit creamier and the skin is so thin, you don’t have to peel them. If you prefer the Idaho variety, be sure to peel them first.

Ingredients:
Olive oil or cooking spray i.e. Pam – stock
2 lbs. baking potatoes, peeled if using Idaho, unpeeled if using Yukon Gold, sliced thin: about ¼ inch – $3.04
½ cup shallots, minced (2 very large) – $0.62
3 cloves garlic, minced – stock
2 Tablespoons fresh sage leaves, diced finely – $0.99
6 oz. package Canadian bacon – $3.99
½ pint light cream or half and half – $1.29
2 Teaspoons coarse or Kosher salt – stock
¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg – stock
freshly ground pepper, to taste – stock
1 ½ cups Gruyere cheese, grated – $3.69
Grand Total Assuming Well-Stocked Pantry: $13.62
Total Per Serving: $1.70

Directions:
1. Position the oven rack to the middle. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray or lightly oil a 10-inch glass pie plate.

2. In a large bowl toss together all of the ingredients except the Gruyere, mixing well.

3. Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared pie dish and sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the top.

4. Cover loosely with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes.

5. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

Tagged as: basics, cooking, dinner, entertaining, fall, family, food, Holidays, kid-friendly, recipes, Recipes Under $20, sides