Pota­toes Dauphinoise

(serves 4 generously)

6 medi­um potatoes

1 tbsp butter

sprin­kle onion, gar­lic powders

sea salt and fresh black pepper

2 small shal­lots or 1 banana shal­lot, minced

4 oz/113g shred­ded Gruyere cheese

2 cups/473ml light/single cream

2 tbsps butter

Peel the pota­toes and slice them thin­ly or run them through the slicer of a food processor.

But­ter an oven­proof dish about 9 inches/22cm square.  Lay­er half the pota­toes on the bot­tom, then sprin­kle over minced shal­lot, onion and gar­lic pow­ders.  Add anoth­er lay­er of pota­toes, then cream and cheese and pour over the pota­toes.  Dot in four places with the but­ter.  Bake at 425F/220 for about an hour, check­ing to make sure the pota­toes are not brown­ing too much and turn­ing down heat slight­ly if they are.  Serve hot.