Last October I had some extra Yukon gold and Japanese sweet potatoes lying around and wasn’t sure what to make for dinner. I looked in the fridge and saw that I had some cream and shredded cheese so I decided to make scalloped potatoes. These potatoes hit the spot and the addition of the sweet potatoes made the dish addictingly sweet and salty. Little did I know that these potatoes would become a staple in our college house and have been made several times almost every month since (primarily by my roommate Rocky). This dish has helped feed the masses during a spring break trip and during a Labor Day beach trip. Hopefully, this dish will feed your family this Thanksgiving!
My immediate association with scalloped potatoes are the “Betty Crocker Au Gratin” boxed potatoes; This was my mom’s side of choice to pair with the store bought “Honey Baked Ham”. They would come scolding and bubbling out of the oven, straight to the dinner table. I would inevitably always burn my tongue on the first bite, but I could never resist the golden sauce. The trick to any creamy and cheesy casserole is to let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes when it comes out of the oven. This helps the sauce set and prevents the dish from being too runny. While the boxed potatoes are good, making this dish from scratch is MUCH better.
Everyone has their kitchen limits and “no-nos”, for me it is peeling potatoes. I find the task to be so time consuming and absolutely not worth it. I know that for others it could be tediously making pasta, folding dumplings, or washing rice. So far, all of the recipes I have posted have involved low technical skills. However, if you don’t like chopping this recipe might not be for you. With the help of a mandolin or a food processor - with a slicing attachment - you can fly through cutting these potatoes. I personally find the task of cutting and arranging the potatoes satisfying. Once you taste the dish you will feel that it is all worth it.
Recipe
Time
Prep: ~30 Minutes
Cooking: 1 Hour
Servings: 6 Side servings
Ingredients
4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons of butter
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
5-6 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 tablespoon salt (+ 1/4 tablespoon more if you aren’t watching your salt intake)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (gruyere is better here, but also more expensive)
1. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees and use 1 tablespoon of butter to coat the inside of moderately deep 9x9 or any similar sized baking dish and set aside.
2. Roughly chop the garlic and rosemary then place in a sauce pot with the cream, remaining butter, and salt. Heat on low, stirring occasionally until the mixture is warmed through. The cream mixture will scorch easily if not watched.
3. While your cream mixture is warming, chop your potatoes into thin slices. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small part along the width of your potatoes and lay it flat along the cutting board. This helps to stabilize your potatoes while cutting them.
4. Layer your chopped potatoes in the buttered baking dish in even rows making sure there is enough room on top for cheese (don’t let the potatoes protrude out of the baking dish). Then pour your cream mixture over the top. Sprinkle the top evenly with paprika, pepper, and cheese. If your potatoes are tightly packed separate a few in different spots and directly add cheese between layers for extra delicious pockets of cheese.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. After this time, remove the foil and let bake for an additional 25-35 minutes uncovered until the potatoes are tender (the thicker the potatoes are cut the longer it will take.)
6. Remove from the oven and let sit for 8-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy this dish with your favorite entree!
