Gary's Garlic & Parmesan Potatoes

This is such an easy dish to prepare, but it will always have your diners asking for more! I have made many variants of this dish over the years, but this one is my favourite. The list of ingredients is without exact measures in most instances, which means that you will have to use your judgment and personal taste to perfect the dish to your liking and standard. It is important to know what this dish is not. It is not a 'potato Dauphinoise' or 'scalloped potatoes' so resist peeling and slicing your potatoes either on a mandoline or by hand. This is a rather rustic dish and reminds me of all those Sunday dinners after church when I was a boy. I hope that you try it and improve upon it, but please try to keep it an honest and modest dish. If you do, you will find that it features as a great accompaniment at many of your best dinners. Now, on to the basic recipe!

1-1/2lbs (750g) New baby potatoes - skin on, washed and roughly quartered
Block or wedge of Parmesan cheese (not a boxed pre-grated variety)
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped (or use a garlic press)
Butter - about 2 Tbs/30ml
Sprig of fresh thyme (stemmed and chopped)
Sprig of fresh curly parsley (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 C./500ml Heavy (double) cream

Pre-heat oven to 350F/170C. Butter a medium-sized baking dish (I use a oval shaped Pyrex dish) and grate Parmesan cheese into it, turning the dish to coat the bottom and sides. Add crushed and chopped garlic.
In a large sauce pan, bring water and salt (I use about 2Tbs/30ml of Kosher salt) to the boil. Add  the roughly cut potatoes and parboil for about 5-8 minutes, but no longer. Drain parboiled potatoes into a metal colander. Vigorously toss potatoes in the colander to roughen the cut edges of the potatoes. Pour half of the drained potatoes into the prepared baking dish, add half the chopped thyme and parsley. Dot with remaining butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with remaining potatoes, thyme and parsley. Cover potatoes and herbs with the cream. Grate more Parmesan onto the top (decadent - I know!) and place on the center rack of the pre-heated oven. Bake until hot, brown and bubbly on top - about 20-25 minutes. Remove and let stand 5 minutes. Serve in its baking dish. Serves 4-6