Potato and mushroom forestière gratin with creamy roasted pumpkin soup

Ingredients

• 800 g Potatoes for gratin (Peeled and cut into very thin slices)
• 2 Onion (1 for the gratin, 1 for the soup, sliced into strips)
• 4 cuillères à soupe Olive oil
• 30 g Butter
• 300 ml Heavy cream (200 ml for the gratin, 100 ml for the soup)
• 200 ml Whole milk
• à goût Salt
• à goût Black pepper
• 1 pincée Nutmeg (Optional)
• 2 Bay leaf (1 for the gratin, 1 for the soup)
• 300 g Button mushrooms (Cleaned and sliced)
• 3 gousses Garlic (2 for the mushrooms, 1 whole head for the soup)
• 100 g Chicken bacon (Optional, adds smoky flavor)
• 1 pincée Espelette pepper (Optional)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Fresh parsley (Chopped, added at the end of cooking the mushrooms)
• 150 g Grated cheese (mix of Gruyère, Comté, Emmental) (For gratinating)
• 800 g Pumpkin (Peeled, seeded and diced)
• 0.5 cuillère à café Ground cumin
• 0.5 cuillère à café Ground turmeric
• 0.5 cuillère à café Fresh grated ginger
• 1 branche Fresh thyme
• 1 branche Fresh rosemary
• 500 ml Chicken broth (Cube or liquid)
• 100 g Boursin (soft cheese spread) (Added to the soup to make it creamy)

Instructions

1. Prepare all vegetables

   Peel the potatoes and cut them into very thin slices using a mandoline or a knife. Slice both onions, mince the garlic, clean the mushrooms and slice them. Dice the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and prepare the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf bouquet.

   Time: PT20M

2. Sauté the gratin onion

   In a large pan, heat 2 c. à s. d olive oil with 15 g butter. Add the sliced onion and cook over medium heat until translucent (≈5 min).

   Time: PT5M

3. Cook the potatoes with the onion

   Add the potato slices to the pan, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg if desired. Sauté for 5 min over medium heat, stirring gently.

   Time: PT5M

4. Simmer the creamy base of the gratin

   Pour 200 ml heavy cream and 200 ml milk over the potatoes, add a bay leaf, adjust seasoning and let simmer over low heat, covered, for 25 min, stirring occasionally.

   Time: PT25M

5. Sauté the mushrooms forestière style

   In another deep pan, heat 1 c. à s. d olive oil, add the crushed garlic, the mushrooms, season with salt, pepper and, if you like, a pinch of Espelette pepper. Sauté for 5 min, then add the chicken bacon and continue cooking for 10 min until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mixture is nicely browned.

   Time: PT15M

6. Assemble the gratin

   Pour half of the creamy potato mixture into the gratin dish, spread the mushroom sauté evenly, then top with the remaining potatoes. Generously sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

   Time: PT5M

7. Final baking

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the gratin for 25 min until the cheese is nicely browned and the gratin bubbles slightly at the edges.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Roast the vegetables for the soup

   Arrange the pumpkin dice, onion slices and the halved garlic head on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with cumin, turmeric, ginger, thyme, bay leaf and rosemary. Roast in the preheated oven at 190°C for 35 min, stirring halfway through.

   Time: PT35M

   Temperature: 190°C

9. Blend and heat the soup

   Transfer the roasted vegetables to a saucepan, add the chicken broth and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil for 5 min.

   Time: PT5M

10. Finish the soup

    Stir in the Boursin and the remaining heavy cream, mixing until the cheese is fully melted. Heat for an additional 5 min, adjust seasoning and serve hot.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Potatoes for gratin: Yukon Gold potatoes
• Instead of Onion: Shallot
• Instead of Olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Butter: Margarine
• Instead of Heavy cream: Pouring cream
• Instead of Whole milk: Semi-skimmed milk
• Instead of Button mushrooms: Wild mushrooms
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder
• Instead of Chicken bacon: Pork bacon, Smoked tofu
• Instead of Espelette pepper: Paprika
• Instead of Fresh parsley: Chives
• Instead of Grated cheese (mix of Gruyère, Comté, Emmental): Mozzarella, Cheddar
• Instead of Pumpkin: Butternut squash
• Instead of Ground cumin: Ground coriander
• Instead of Ground turmeric: Mild paprika
• Instead of Fresh grated ginger: Ground ginger
• Instead of Fresh thyme: Herbes de Provence
• Instead of Fresh rosemary: Thyme
• Instead of Chicken broth: Vegetable broth
• Instead of Boursin (soft cheese spread): Herb cream cheese

Equipment Needed

• Mandoline
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Large skillet
• Gratin dish (glass or ceramic)
• Oven
• Immersion blender or blender
• Saucepan or Dutch oven
• Wooden spatula
• Wooden spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Cheese grater
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Slice the potatoes very thinly for even cooking.
• Reduce the mushrooms completely to avoid a watery gratin.
• Roast the pumpkin until lightly caramelized to develop flavor.
• Bake the gratin until the cheese is well browned and the surface bubbles.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a blend of hard cheeses for a more flavorful gratin.
• Drizzle a little truffle oil over the soup just before serving for a gourmet touch.
• Serve the gratin with a small lemony green salad to balance the dish.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the gratin and soup separately in airtight containers, up to 3 days.

Freezer: The gratin freezes well for 2 months (thaw before reheating). The soup freezes for 2 months in portions.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the gratin (without the cheese) the day before, cover and refrigerate; add the cheese and bake on the day of serving.
• The soup can be made completely 24 h in advance and gently reheated before serving.