Sweet Potato Gratin

Recipe shared by The Kitchen Garden, a farm in Sunderland that is run by two great cooks!

This is great anytime, but we served this to rave reviews Thanksgiving 2007 as a savory alternative to Caroline’s family’s traditional sweet spiced yams.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• salt and pepper
• 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan, grated

Generously butter a 2-quart gratin dish and set aside. Heat oven to 425°F.  Arrange sweet potato slices in overlapping layers in dish, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Combine cream and thyme in a small bowl and pour evenly over potatoes to cover. Sprinkle cheese on top.Wrap dish with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until sweet potatoes are soft and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Allow to cool and set 5 to 10 minutes before cutting to serve.