Individual Potato Gratin with Caramelized Shallots

Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    The sweet, caramelized shallots under the bubbling, golden cheese is wonderful.  If you don't normally have milk on hand you can substitute chicken stock, or half cream (or crème fraiche) and half water.

 Ingredients:

• 3 large shallots, sliced
• 1 tbs butter
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 medium potatoes, 10oz total (300gr)
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese, any flavor (I used Emmenthal)

 Instructions:

• Shallots: 
• Heat butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and sauté until they start to get transparent and tender, about 5 minutes.
• Turn heat up and cook, stirring, until they start to get brown, about 5 minutes longer.
• Turn heat to medium low, add sugar and stir until sugar is melted and evenly distributed.
• Let cook over medium low heat until very brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Gratin: 
• With a sharp knife thinly slice the potatoes.
• Shred cheese if needed.
• In individual baking dishes (mine are 5" in diameter and 1" deep (10cm by 2.5cm) layer the potatoes neatly. 
• Divide the milk and pour over the potatoes.
• Divide the shallots and spread on top.
• Divide the cheese and sprinkle evenly over both dishes.
• Cover with foil and bake at 400F (200C) for 35 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue baking another 15 minutes, until cheese starts to brown.
• Remove from oven and serve.

Note:  Put the dishes on a baking tray, for ease of handling and because they will probably cook over - saves oven clean-up.  I use one large sheet of foil and loosely cover both of them with it. 

Note 2: You can bake this in one, larger baking dish. Try not to layer the potatoes deeper than 1" (2.5cm).  Increase covered baking time by 10 minutes.