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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
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Serves
4–6
Author Notes
It’s hard to beat Samyang’s infamous buldak (fire chicken) ramen because it’s such a perfect, crave-able combo of chicken bullion, gochujang, and what I can only assume is fire from the depths of Inferno itself. But recently, there’s been a rise in rose buldak, which uses cream and cheese to temper the heat without sacrificing the dish's signature bold flavor.
Since the potato gratin already features cream and cheese, I figured it would pair naturally with rose buldak. This recipe draws from Kenji López-Alt’s ingenious hasselback potato gratin but plays around with the ratios. It takes time for everything to bake all the way through (about 90 minutes total). But the final result is worth it: optimal crispy edges, tender potatoes, and a spicy cream sauce.
To make ahead: Assemble the gratin in the skillet and refrigerate covered in foil. When ready to bake, proceed with the recipe as written, adding an additional 15 minutes to the first foil bake. —saltypeeps
Ingredients
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4 ounces
gruyere cheese (about 1 heaping cup), divided
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1 cup
heavy cream
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3 teaspoons
gochujang
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2 teaspoons
gochugaru
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2 teaspoons
Better Than Bullion Chicken Flavor
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1 teaspoon
cayenne (optional)
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1 pinch
sugar (optional)
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kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
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2
fat garlic cloves, grated
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2–2.5 pounds
yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
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1 bunch
scallions, sliced on a bias (optional)
Directions
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Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (about 200°C). Lightly butter a 10-inch oven-safe skillet.
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Grate 4 oz of gruyere, adding half into a large mixing bowl and reserving the rest. Then, add the cream, gochujang, gochugaru, Better Than Bullion, cayenne (optional), and sugar (optional, for balance). Add 2 fat cloves of grated garlic and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well.
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Using a mandolin or chef’s knife, slice 2 pounds of potatoes into ⅛ inch pieces and add them to the cream mixture. Mix the potatoes and cream until the slices are well-coated.
NOTE: You may need more potatoes to fill up your skillet, so start with 2 pounds and add more as you see fit. Having said that, it’s not necessary to completely fill up your skillet as long as you have enough to create a ring of potatoes along the edge. You can also forego the hasselback arrangement and bake the potatoes as a traditional gratin if that’s easier.
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Pick up a handful of potatoes and arrange them in a stack. Then, starting at the perimeter of the skillet, place the stack into the skillet with the edges facing up. Repeat with the remaining potatoes until you’ve formed two concentric circles. Pour any of the remaining cream mixture evenly into the skillet until it comes up to no more than halfway up the skillet (you might not use all of the cream mixture).
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Cover the skillet tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes to brown the top. Then, sprinkle the remaining cheese on the potatoes and bake for a final 30 minutes (or until the potatoes are tender and cheese is melted). Remove from the oven and let the gratin cool briefly before serving.
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OPTIONAL: While the gratin is cooling, slice scallions on a sharp bias and soak them in ice water for 5 minutes to curl. Drain the scallions and shake off the excess water before garnishing the gratin.
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