Some potatoes au gratin recipes are cheeseless – simply potatoes made in a cream sauce. When I hear potatoes au gratin, I really hear melted cheese disguised as a vegetable. I always feel robbed if I order them, and the cheese is mysteriously absent. This recipe is adapted from my mac and cheese [1] recipe, which my kids have been requesting for weeks, but we’re moving, and I’m out of pasta. I had potatoes, though, so here’s my substitution.
Life is a little crazy right now in our casa between the impending move and growing my chef business and catering services. So if recipe postings are slim in the next few days, please know it’s because I’m either moving boxes, chasing children away from unpacking boxes, or I’ve discovered something crazy, like say, Cory packed my hard drive in an unmarked box and I have no. idea. where it is. On the upside, I’ve safely packed away a stack of 20 old Gourmet magazines, which I plan to work through and feature this summer.
Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe serves 6
3 c. milk (I use 1%)
1/2 yellow or white onion
8-10 red new potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch discs
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 turns fresh ground pepper
3 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 c. fresh grated parmesan reggiano
In a saucepan over medium heat, warm milk and the half an onion to a simmer. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 325. Grease casserole dish and arrange potato slices in rows in a single layer on the bottom. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir with a wooden spatula for two minutes to form a paste. Remove onion from milk and discard. Pour milk into paste and stir continuously, when integrated, increase heat to medium high and cook for around five minutes until sauce has thickened substantially, stirring to prevent scorching. Add 1 and a 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar and stir to integrate. Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes, then top with the remaining cheddar and parmesan. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, then increase heat to 400 and cook for an additional 10 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.