Rich & Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

One of my favorite ways to serve potatoes is as Scalloped Potatoes or as Potatoes Au Gratin. You might wonder what the difference is. Actually, there is not much difference, but traditionally Potatoes Au Gratin is made with Gruyere cheese and the potato slices are thinner.

I will do two recipe versions for you to choose from. Both are fantastic.

The absolute essential thing you need to know is do not overcook either recipe or you may dry out your yummy casserole.

First - Scalloped Potatoes

Preheat oven - 425 degrees

Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by covering the bottom and sides with softened butter.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs of Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and sliced 1/8" (not too thin)

1 large yellow onion - sliced

1 small garlic clove - minced fine

6 Tablespoons of flour

8 Tbsp of Butter - cut into 8 pieces or Grass-Fed Ghee Butter

3 cups whole milk

Salt & Pepper

Pinch of Emerills

Optional - 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped Parsley

Directions:

Place your sliced potatoes and onions in a large mixing bowl. Add 3 good pinches of salt and pepper and toss the potatoes and onions - adding next the flour. Toss again until a nice coat of flour is on the ingredients. Sprinkle Emerill's over the top along with the minced garlic and do one final toss.

Heat your milk on medium low temp. Be careful not to burn.

You want it very warm but not boiled.

Layer your potatoes along with the onions in the buttered casserole dish - as if making a lasagna.

Once the first layer is done take 4 pieces of the butter and dot them over the potatoes. You may want to cut each piece of butter in half before placing.

If you wish - you can add a sprinkle of Parmesan lightly over the layer of potatoes before starting your next layer.

Repeat the next layer exactly the same as the first - placing dots of butter evenly over the top.

Gently pour your heated milk all over the top of the potatoes stopping when the milk covers 3/4 of the potatoes, but no higher. If you are using Parmesan - lightly dust the top and cover your casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes REDUCE OVEN temp to 375 degrees and remove the foil completely off the baking dish.

Allow your scalloped potatoes to cook for 45-50 minutes more.

Remove casserole dish from the oven and allow the potatoes to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with chopped fresh parsley if you wish.

Quick Tip - Scallop potatoes traditionally does not contain cheese and if you wish to make it this way - you can leave the Parmesan out. I happen to love the hint of cheese so when I make this dish - I add it.

Potatoes Au Gratin

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs of Yukon Gold Potatoes - peeled and sliced thin (as thin as you can do)

1 1/2 cup of heavy cream

2 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese

pinch of nutmeg

2 Tbsp unsalted butter or Grass-Fed Ghee Butter

2 Pinches of Emerill's

2 Pinches of Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

For this recipe I am using heavy cream. It makes a very rich Au Gratin. I highly encourage giving it a try. Of course you can use whole milk - or half and half, but the heavy cream is well worth trying.

In a saucepan, gently heat on medium low your heavy cream, garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf nutmeg, salt, pepper and Emerill's. Do not allow cream to boil or it will burn.

Butter a 9x13 casserole dish. Using a large spoon remove the bay leaf and the thyme leaves. Then spoon a layer of the heavy cream onto the bottom of your buttered casserole dish.

Next - place a layer of potatoes over the cream then sprinkle half the grated Parmesan and shredded Gruyere cheeses.

Place the next layer over the first and repeat with the remaining cheese.

Gently add your hot cream over the potatoes.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes pull back the foil on one corner only and allow your potatoes to continue baking for 15 minutes longer.

Remove baking dish from the oven remove the foil and allow your Au Gratin to rest for a full 5 minutes before serving.

You may wish to top the casserole with chopped parsley.

ENJOY!