Three-Cheese Potatoes
Originally published as Three-Cheese Potatoes in Quick Cooking July/August 2004, p22. With its bacon and cheese flair, this side dish makes a welcome addition to barbecues. My husband and I love these potatoes.
Originally published as Three-Cheese Potatoes in Quick Cooking July/August 2004, p22. With its bacon and cheese flair, this side dish makes a welcome addition to barbecues. My husband and I love these potatoes.
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon chives minced
- 3 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup bacon crumbled, cooked
- 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 32.1169082333942 g
- Cholesterol 83.9680625220707 mg
- Fat 28.4400945987236 g
- Fiber 4.05497184409545 g
- Protein 26.058687684174 g
- Saturated Fat 14.3489035816016 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (273g)
- Sodium 1310.99770204259 mg
- Sugar 28.0619363892988 g
- Trans Fat 2.4136169042758 g
- Calories 488 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Transfer to a double thickness of greased heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Dot with butter.
- Fold foil around potato mixture and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 15-18 minutes on each side or until potatoes are tender.
- Carefully open foil. Sprinkle the bacon cheeses over potato mixture. Grill 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.
Substituting russet potatoes for the waxy varieties called for in the initial mix transforms the structural integrity of the dish by releasing extra starch that binds the dairy fats during cooking. Raw potatoes packed tightly into heavy-duty foil packets undergo a steaming and roasting hybrid process over medium heat, but freezing them before this thermal transformation causes cell walls to rupture and turns the starches into an unpleasantly mealy paste. Professional kitchens handle potato side dishes efficiently by par-boiling the one-inch cubes for exactly seven minutes before plunging them into ice water to halt cooking, which sets the exterior starch layer and prevents the pieces from disintegrating inside the foil pouch.
Par-cooked and cooled potato cubes tossed with butter, seasonings, and onions can be sealed in freezer bags for up to two months without losing structural quality, provided they are thawed entirely in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours before being added to the foil packets. Direct freezing of melted cheeses combined with hot potatoes separates the milk solids from the fats, resulting in an oily pool rather than a cohesive sauce, which is why the cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan must always be reserved for the final three to five minutes of direct exposure to radiant grill heat.
Maintaining proper texture requires cutting the tubers into uniform one-inch cubes to ensure even heat penetration across the 18-inch foil square. Excess moisture ruins the crispy bacon topping, so drain the crumbled meat on paper towels for five minutes before scattering it over the melting cheeses.
