Potato Gratin with Spring Vegetables

Spring has arrived ever-so-slightly here in Philly. It's still mostly cloudy and not exactly warm, but I'll take it! Spring weather also means spring vegetables.

Notes: I think I should have sauteed the asparagus along with the leeks. My final product came out very watery probably because the veggies gave off too much liquid. Next time I make this, I might just use two or three leeks instead of asparagus. The flavor was good, but I definitely wanted it drier. I wrote the recipe with the asparagus sauteed. I got the basic gratin recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients:
4 Yukon gold potatoes
1 bunch asparagus
1 leek, cleaned
2 cups whole milk
3-5 oz. of melty cheese (Gruyere, Fontel, Fontina, etc.)
3 tablespoons butter plus more for the baking dish
Salt
Pepper
Butter

Directions: Heat the oven to 350.

Slice the potatoes on a mandolin set to 1/8 or thinly slice them with a sharp knife. Set aside.

Slice your leeks into thin rings and your asparagus into small pieces. Add the butter to a skillet and heat it to medium. Saute the leeks and asparagus until they are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Be sure to drain off any excess liquid. When they're done, take them off the heat and set aside.

While the veggies are going, grate your cheese. Now you're ready to assemble!

Start by buttering the baking dish. Layer the sliced potatoes overlapping slightly like shingles. Season the layer with salt and pepper and sprinkle on 1/3 of your grated cheese. Add half your veggies. Do another layer of potatoes, 1/3 cheese, and the other half of your veggies. Season that layer with salt and pepper too. Add one more layer of potatoes (reserve the last of the cheese). Pour the milk over everything so that the top of the milk reaches the bottom of the top potato layer.

Bake it uncovered for an hour. About halfway through, push the top layer down so that it stays dry. When you have 15 minutes left, add the rest of your cheese. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!