Holiday Scalloped Potatoes
This is a recipe I found on a website a few years ago. I make this recipe for family holiday gatherings as it makes a big casserole Everyone goes back for seconds!
This is a recipe I found on a website a few years ago. I make this recipe for family holiday gatherings as it makes a big casserole Everyone goes back for seconds!
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced about 2 teaspoons
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 pounds russet potatoes peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Carbohydrate 35.2373672213162 g
- Cholesterol 67.1850000623194 mg
- Fat 19.5281594980787 g
- Fiber 2.59370126314299 g
- Protein 7.72737183755769 g
- Saturated Fat 12.1657015613686 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (244g)
- Sodium 576.005380932542 mg
- Sugar 32.6436659581732 g
- Trans Fat 1.09742259992503 g
- Calories 339 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt butter in large dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute
- Add onion and saute until it turns soft and begins to brown, about 4 minutes
- Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds
- Add cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and potatoes. Bring to simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain light simmer. Cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes
- Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Transfer potato mixture to a 3-quart casserole and sprinkle with cheese
- Bake at 350 until cream has thickened and is bubbling around sides and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Unlike potato au gratin which relies on heavy layering of dry cheese between starchy rounds, scalloped dishes typically submerge tubers in a seasoned dairy liquid that thickens as it simmers. Relying on fresh whole milk and heavy cream yields a superior mouthfeel compared to canned evaporated milk or shelf-stable alternatives, though substituting low-fat dairy will cause the sauce to break and curdle under heat.
The Power of Fresh Alliums
Minced fresh onion and garlic cloves release water-soluble sugars and sulfur compounds when bruised by a knife, providing a sharp pungency that jars of dehydrated flakes simply cannot replicate. Simmering four sprigs of fresh thyme and two bay leaves directly in the dairy infuses the fats with herbal essential oils that dry herbs lack.Precision Slicing and Baking
Using a mandoline to cut russet potatoes to an exact 1/8-inch thickness ensures that starch releases evenly into the three cups of cream without leaving hard centers. Bake the casserole uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty minutes until the edges bubble vigorously and the top turns golden brown.
