Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
“What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”
A.A. Milne
There are so many “time saver” side dishes on the market that if a body was in a rush to make dinner they would have an aneurysm figuring out which one they were going to use so this post is my attempt to show that a good side dish need not come out of a box with a massive amount of sodium but with a little bit of patience and the right equipment it can be done in no time at all.
The secret, in my opinion, to this dish is a good cheese sauce and a good cheese sauce begins with a good “Bechemel Sauce” and then is enhanced with a good cheese and don’t let the term Bechemel intimidate you because it is merely flour, butter and milk mixed until it is the consistency that you want. I used a Mexican 3 cheese blend because I just happened to have it in the pantry but feel free to use whatever you wish.
Here is how we do this one.
Shopping list:
- 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes – thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 Flour
- 2 cups Half and Half
- 1 cup Chicken stock
- 3 cups Shredded Cheese
- 1 medium Sweet Onion – diced
- 3 Garlic cloves – chopped
- 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper
- 1/4 cup Green Onion for garnish (optional)
Putting it all together:
- Preheat the oven to 375°
- In a large pot or dutch oven heat the butter until melted. Add the sweet onion, pepper, nutmeg and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking for about another 4 minutes being careful not to let it brown.
- Pour in the chicken stock and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add the half and half while continuing to whisk. Bring to a boil for three minutes then reduce the heat and add the shredded cheese a bit at a time whisking until smooth.
- In a 9 x 6 greased pan place a layer of potatoes and cover with cheese sauce. Alternate the process until all the potatoes and cheese sauce have been used. Top with Parmesan and green onion
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender.
There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”
Until next time……….
Bon Appetit