Potato Leek Gratin

If you think fat and calories are the enemy, then go ahead and stop reading.

If, however, you like to put a bit of richness into your mouth from time to time, and worry about your thighs a different time, then by all means MAKE THIS GRATIN.

We had this with our Easter dinner yesterday.  Went nicely with the salty sweet ham, and the light spinach salad, and roasted asparagus.  There just had to be one rich thing on the menu.

Potato Leek Gratin

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick

3 cups cream or half and half

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve 2 tablespoons of the grease)

3 leeks, white and light green part only, thinly sliced and cleaned well

fresh or dried tarragon (if you prefer rosemary, go for it)

8 ounces sliced Havarti cheese

In a pot, simmer the potatoes, cream, salt and pepper for about 15 minutes or until barely tender.  Remove from heat.

While the potatoes are simmering, saute' the leeks in the bacon grease until just starting to soften.

In a shallow baking dish, layer half the potatoes and cream, half the bacon, half the leeks, and a light pinch of tarragon (little goes a long way!).  Layer the rest of the potatoes and cream, bacon, leeks, and tarragon.  Top evenly with the sliced cheese, and press down lightly.

This can be made and refrigerated up to this point, overnight.

To bake - heat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake 40 minutes, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and very bubbly.  If starting from refrigerated, add 10 minutes to the baking time.