👨‍🍳 Melted Comté Gratin with Black Truffle Shavings

Martine Frenchipie

Fine dining recipe – serves 4

đź“ť Ingredients:

For the gratin:

  • 400 g (14 oz) aged ComtĂ© cheese (at least 18 months), finely grated
  • 600 g (1.3 lbs) waxy potatoes (such as Monalisa or Agria)
  • 500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream (minimum 30% fat)
  • 250 ml (1 cup) whole milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • Fleur de sel, white Penja pepper (or white pepper)
  • 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter

For finishing:

  • 10–15 g (approx. 0.5 oz) fresh black truffle (Tuber melanosporum or brumale)
  • Extra ComtĂ© shavings for gratin topping
  • Soft butter (for greasing the molds)

🔪 Preparation:

1. Potato preparation

  • Peel and rinse the potatoes. Slice them into very thin rounds using a mandoline (approx. 2 mm thick).
  • Keep them in a damp cloth to prevent browning.

2. Infused Comté cream

  • In a saucepan, gently heat the cream, milk, crushed garlic, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in the egg yolks and 300 g of grated ComtĂ© cheese until fully melted and smooth.

3. Assembling individual gratins

  • Generously butter stainless steel ring molds (approx. 10 cm wide x 4 cm high) placed on a baking tray lined with parchment.
  • Layer the potato slices inside the molds, spooning ComtĂ© cream between each layer.
  • Finish with a spoonful of cream and a final dusting of grated ComtĂ©.

4. Slow and even baking

  • Bake in a fan oven at 160°C (320°F) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
  • Finish under a hot grill at 220°C (430°F) for 2 minutes to achieve a golden, bubbling crust.

🍽️ Plating:

  1. Carefully unmold each hot gratin onto a preheated fine porcelain plate.
  2. Using a truffle slicer, shave fine slivers of fresh black truffle over the top.
  3. Optional: Add a single drop of white truffle oil on the plate for extra aroma.
  4. Serve immediately, accompanied by a glass of aged Jura vin jaune or a rich, oaked Chardonnay.

✨ Chef’s Tip:

For an even creamier texture and deeper flavor, the gratins can be prepared the day before, then gently reheated at 120°C (250°F) before plating. The truffle essence will infuse more fully through the cheese and cream.

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