Potato-Mushroom Gratin

Ever get halfway through a recipe and realise it probably wasn't tested? Hey, me too! I salvaged it though, and between a bit of common sense (you do not need 2 cups of heavy cream to cook 1/2 pound of mushrooms and five potatoes) and quick thinking, I ended-up with a pretty good dish.

Usually, The Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, is pretty well-researched. This particular entry had numerous problems-numerous enough that I think it was included without proofreading, let alone testing. Too bad, but things like that happen. Here's my corrected version, which if not better, is a whole heck of a lot healthier (don't worry, there's still plenty of cream, butter and cheese-no one is going to starve).

You Will Need:

5 medium sized white potatoes (or waxy yellow ones) sliced very paper thin

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced

butter for greasing pan and another 2 tablespoons for dotting top of casserole

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

Peel the potatoes and cover them in a bowl with water. Use them one at a time as you layer so they do not become discoloured.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 baking dish very generously.

Beginning with potatoes, slice and make a bottom layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then a bit of the onion and parsley. Add a layer of cheese and then the mushrooms. Repeat the potato layer, salt and pepper, etc. You should end with a potato layer. Before topping with cheese and extra butter, pour the cream over the top and let fill up the sides. You may wish to use a bit more depending on your potatoes, pan and arteries. Do as you wish, but I think 1 cup is more than adequate. Top with cheese and butter. Place in oven and bake until a knife goes easily through the potatoes (mine took 1 hour and fifteen minutes, though the recipe claimed it would take 45 minutes).

Let stand ten minutes before serving.