Don’t let the spice fool you but this recipe is packed with so much flavor. This au gratin recipe makes use of some homemade vadouvan spice. This spice is later incorporated into the cheese sauce that goes over thinly sliced sweet potatoes.
Au gratin simply means covered with cheese and browned or broiled which is the last step in the process. Vadouvan is an Indian spiced curry with some French influence. You can make this using some Indian spice staples and store this for other recipes.
See below for steps to make this vadouvan spice blend used in the cheese sauce.
Vadouvan Au Gratin Sweet Potatoes
Baked thinly sliced sweet potatoes topped with a vadouvan curry based cheese sauce.
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1½ tsp cumin
- 6 whole cloves
- 2½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 yellow onion (thinly sliced)
- 1-1½ sweet potatoes (thinly sliced)
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- ½ cup light cream
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese (shredded)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Vadouvan Curry Spice
Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add in all the spices listed above except salt and pepper. Toast for a minute stirring occasionally.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes and place in a coffee grinder, or blend in a mixer. Option to use mortar and pestle. This should yield enough to fill a spice jar. You will only need 2 teaspoons for this recipe.
Vadouvan Au Gratin Sweet Potatoes
Make the cheese sauce by heating the cream in a small pot over medium heat. Add the cream cheese and mix until combined. Add in a half cup of the shredded cheese and 2 tsp of vadouvan curry spice. Remove from the heat and stir until combined.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Using two 7" oven safe baking dishes or one small baking dish, add a layer of the sliced sweet potatoes, some sliced onions and some cheese sauce. Repeat these steps finishing with a layer of cheese sauce and leaving a little room to cover with aluminum foil without touching. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Once done carefully remove from the oven and check for doneness by inserting a fork all the way through to make sure it pierces with ease. Split the leftover shredded cheese, place under the broiler and broil until slightly browned.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy.
