6 cups of thinly sliced russet potatoes (high starch work best for this)
2 cups of thinly sliced mushrooms (portobello, crimini or shiitake)
1 cup thinly sliced shallot
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbs chopped thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
3 cups cream or half and half
4 Tbs butter (divided)
2 Tbs olive oil
salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 325. Grease a large glass baking dish or casserole using one Tbs of the butter. Sauté mushrooms in 2 Tbs butter and olive oil until golden (but not crisp) remove to plate with slotted spoon. In the same pan saute shallots and garlic over medium just until soft. Return mushrooms to pan, raise heat to medium high and add wine. 

Cook for two minutes, then add chicken stock and simmer rapidly for 2-3 minutes. Stir in cream, thyme and pepper to taste and reduce heat to gentle simmer. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until cream is slightly reduced. 

Arrange potato slices in bottom of casserole, overlapping by about one third slice over slice. Salt, then spoon over the cream and mushroom mixture to cover. Repeat layering potatoes and mushrooms/cream. Top the last layer with dots of butter from remaining Tbs. If desired you can top with Gruyere cheese. 

Cover tightly and place the casserole dish on a cookie sheet. Bake for one and half hours or until potatoes are fork tender, uncover casserole during last 15 to 20 minutes to brown. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving. This is even better leftover, so you can make it the day before the holiday then reheat in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.

(serves 10 can be halved or doubled easily)

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