Au Gratin Potatoes
Here's a creamy and comforting potato dish for you. Au Gratin Potatoes courtesy of the "Joy of Cooking". I took the basic recipe from this cookbook and added a few "extra" ingredients to compliment the meal we were having.
In retrospect, I wish I would have gone with my gut and added a bit more salt than the recipe calls for...it needed it. I've adjusted the recipe to make a more flavorful crust as well as changing the type of potatoes used (I think yellow potatoes are better than russets in a dish like this - I like the way they hold their structure rather than getting mushy).
Another dish that's perfect for Passover - use matzo meal instead of bread crumbs for the topping. You can easily change up the "extras" and create your own flavor. Feel free to play with the types of herbs and cheese used. Parsley would have been great... Yellow onion instead of shallot would've yielded a more onion-y taste... Blue Cheese would provide a nice tang... The possibilities are endless!!
The recipe calls for cooking the potatoes and cream mixture together, but I found that to be a bit cumbersome. I don't see why you couldn't cook the cream mixture separately and pour it over the layered potatoes in the baking dish. I think I'll try that next time. I've adapted the recipe to include this step.
Oh, and if you don't have a mandolin, might I suggest investing in one? It will make slicing the potatoes paper thin SO much easier.
Au Gratin Potatoes
(adapted from "Joy of Cooking", 75th anniversary edition)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub a shallow 3 quart baking dish with:
1 garlic clove, halved
Let dry, then coat with:
1 T butter, softened
Thinly slice 2 1/2 pounds of yellow potatoes. Pour half the potatoes into the baking dish, top with half the "extras". Next, add the rest of the potatoes and lastly, the remaining "extras".
Combine in a sauce pan:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
Bring the cream mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook and stir gently until the liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the potatoes. Press down on the top layer to submerge the potatoes.
Top the mixture with:
Dry bread crumbs (or matzo meal for a Passover-friendly recipe)
Paprika
Dots of butter
1 tsp salt
Grated cheese
My extras:
1/2 a shallot, minced
A handful of chives, minced
The leaves of 8-10 sprigs of thyme (hold the stem and run your fingers backwards along it to pull off the leaves)
1 garlic clove, minced
Swiss cheese
Other "extra" options:
Yellow onion or red onion
Parsley
Rosemary
Mushrooms
Various cheeses - parmesan, gruyere, cheddar, blue, goat cheese, boursin
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The potatoes should be tender and the top should be a nice, golden brown.
In retrospect, I wish I would have gone with my gut and added a bit more salt than the recipe calls for...it needed it. I've adjusted the recipe to make a more flavorful crust as well as changing the type of potatoes used (I think yellow potatoes are better than russets in a dish like this - I like the way they hold their structure rather than getting mushy).
Another dish that's perfect for Passover - use matzo meal instead of bread crumbs for the topping. You can easily change up the "extras" and create your own flavor. Feel free to play with the types of herbs and cheese used. Parsley would have been great... Yellow onion instead of shallot would've yielded a more onion-y taste... Blue Cheese would provide a nice tang... The possibilities are endless!!
The recipe calls for cooking the potatoes and cream mixture together, but I found that to be a bit cumbersome. I don't see why you couldn't cook the cream mixture separately and pour it over the layered potatoes in the baking dish. I think I'll try that next time. I've adapted the recipe to include this step.
Oh, and if you don't have a mandolin, might I suggest investing in one? It will make slicing the potatoes paper thin SO much easier.
Au Gratin Potatoes
(adapted from "Joy of Cooking", 75th anniversary edition)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub a shallow 3 quart baking dish with:
1 garlic clove, halved
Let dry, then coat with:
1 T butter, softened
Thinly slice 2 1/2 pounds of yellow potatoes. Pour half the potatoes into the baking dish, top with half the "extras". Next, add the rest of the potatoes and lastly, the remaining "extras".
Combine in a sauce pan:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
Bring the cream mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook and stir gently until the liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the potatoes. Press down on the top layer to submerge the potatoes.
Top the mixture with:
Dry bread crumbs (or matzo meal for a Passover-friendly recipe)
Paprika
Dots of butter
1 tsp salt
Grated cheese
My extras:
1/2 a shallot, minced
A handful of chives, minced
The leaves of 8-10 sprigs of thyme (hold the stem and run your fingers backwards along it to pull off the leaves)
1 garlic clove, minced
Swiss cheese
Other "extra" options:
Yellow onion or red onion
Parsley
Rosemary
Mushrooms
Various cheeses - parmesan, gruyere, cheddar, blue, goat cheese, boursin
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The potatoes should be tender and the top should be a nice, golden brown.
Choose your favorite toppings, make this awesome recipe, and thoroughly enjoy it!!
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