Scalloped Potatoes and Turnips with Horseradish

This is not a light side dish, but boy is it tasty. The addition of turnips lightens it up a bit and adds a slight difference in texture. I accidentally poured the potatoes into too big of a dish, resulting in a really thin scalloped potatoes, but it was great! More crispy crust on everyone's plate. The horseradish is barely noticeable, but it gives the dish a little more complex flavor. I would make this again any time. It's so great.

Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, sliced about 1/8" thick
2 large turnips, sliced about 1/8" thick
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half and half
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp kosher salt
a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp whole black pepper corns
1 bay leaf
coffee filter
3 teaspoons jarred and drained horseradish (scoop it out of the jar and press it through the tines of a fork to drain it)
1-1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 and butter a gratin dish or casserole. Make a bouquet garni by wrapping thyme, bay leaf, and pepper corns in a coffee filter. Tie with string or just fold up and keep at the top, seem side up.

In a large pot, combine potatoes, turnips, cream, half and half, garlic, salt, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes and turnips are fork tender. Remove from heat and remove the bouquet garni and garlic cloves. Add the horseradish.

Spread it into the buttered dish and make sure it's even. The cream should just seep up around the potatoes but not cover them. If you have extra cream, try to scoop some out so it's not too soupy. Cover the entire top with the grated cheese. Bake until it's golden brown, it has thickened up, and the potatoes and turnips are tender. Let it sit a few minutes before serving.