The late author Nora Ephron had it right when she said that the ultimate comfort food is potatoes. In her case, it was mashed potatoes. For me, I love potato casseroles. I find this variation on potatoes gratin my antidote to tough times and freezing weather.

This casserole features sliced potatoes layered with onion marmalade and finished with a garlicky cheese topping. Here, the onions are tamed into a sweet tangle of deliciousness. Make the onion marmalade ahead of time and then assemble when ready to bake.

There is nothing like the flavor of caramelized onions that have a rich, silky savory-sweet flavor laced between the potatoes and cheese.

Garlic and parsley (feel free to add your favorite herbs) are combined with nutty Gruyere cheese and layered with the potatoes. For a lighter dish, I like to use chicken or vegetable broth over adding cream.

This is easy to put together when you have the ingredients sliced and measured. Use a sharp knife, a mandoline or a food processor with the slicing blade to prepare the potatoes. Set the slicing blade to 1/4 inch so the casserole will cook at the suggested time. If the potatoes are thicker, you may need to bake the casserole for a few more minutes.

Serve this as a vegetarian dish (use vegetable broth) alongside a saute of green bean, snap peas, mushrooms and broccoli. This side is also a welcome companion to grilled or roasted meats, chicken or fish, and stews.