Beef and Potato Gratin

Main dish for six, or four lumberjacks. Sticks to your ribs and tastes so good goin’ down. Just a hardy easily prepared weekday meal. Careful, it may become a family favorite.

Recipe

1/2 Tablespoon each butter and olive oil
1 Small yellow onion-diced
1 Clove garlic-minced
1 Pound lean ground beef (85-90%)
4 Large russets or Yukon gold-peeled and sliced thin
1 Can condensed mushroom soup
2/3 Cup milk (for more richness and tang substitute 1/3 cup of the milk with sour cream)
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper
1 Cup combination grated cheddar and Jack cheeses

In a skillet large enough for all ingredients over medium heat sauté the onion in the olive oil and butter until limp and tender.

Add the garlic and continue the sauté for an additional minute. Then break up ground beef over the onion and garlic. Continue cooking stirring and breaking up pieces until meat has lost all pink. Drain.

Stir in salt, pepper, soup and milk (sour cream if using). Add potatoes and stir meat mixture to distribute. Cover and cook over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Preheat or heat broiler on HI. Remove lid from ingredients. Sprinkle the top of ingredients with shredded cheeses. Place under broiler until crust is formed and cheese has begun to turn brown.

Remove and serve.