Sweet Potato Cranberry Gratin with Nutmeg White Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes , sliced thin with a mandolin
• 1 clove garlic , sliced in half
• 1-2 16 oz cans chunky cranberry sauce , or 2-3 C homemade chunky cranberry sauce
• 1 C herbed bread crumbs
• Nutmeg White Sauce:
• 3 C milk
• ¼ onion , peeled but not chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2½ T flour
• 2½ T butter
• nutmeg
• salt
• white pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Begin white sauce by simmering the milk with the bay leaf, onion and nutmeg in it for 15 minutes.
2. While the milk simmers, rub the cut side of the garlic clove all over the inside of a 2 qt. baking dish. Place a layer using one half of the potato slices in the bottom of the baking dish. For the next layer, use up to one can of the cranberry sauce. Repeat the layers with the remaining sweet potatoes and cranberries.
3. After 15 minutes, remove the bay leaf and onion from the milk. Make a roux with the flour and butter and whisk into the milk and simmer gently until slightly less thick than you need it. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the white sauce over the potatoes. Top with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.