Scalloped Potatoes
There are many ways to make delicious scalloped potatoes. For this version, I consulted several books – Kitchen Sense, two James Beards, and the Joy of Cooking. Basically you layer thinly sliced potatoes with any number of extras – cheese, onions, parsley – add milk or cream, and bake. The potatoes absorb the liquid as they cook, the cheese melts, the top gets browned. One tip – use a shallow casserole dish. The one I used here ended up stacking the potatoes a little too high and I had to add a half hour or so to the cooking time. What you dont want is crispy browned on top and not-cooked-enough potatoes inside. If you need a faster cooking time, Joy of Cooking recommends parboiling the potatoes first for a few minutes.
There are many ways to make delicious scalloped potatoes. For this version, I consulted several books – Kitchen Sense, two James Beards, and the Joy of Cooking. Basically you layer thinly sliced potatoes with any number of extras – cheese, onions, parsley – add milk or cream, and bake. The potatoes absorb the liquid as they cook, the cheese melts, the top gets browned. One tip – use a shallow casserole dish. The one I used here ended up stacking the potatoes a little too high and I had to add a half hour or so to the cooking time. What you dont want is crispy browned on top and not-cooked-enough potatoes inside. If you need a faster cooking time, Joy of Cooking recommends parboiling the potatoes first for a few minutes.
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 2 pounds russet potatoes about 4 potatoes, sliced 1/8 in thick
- 1 large white or yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 2.5 cups swiss or gruyere cheese about 8 oz
- .5 cup parmesan cheese grated about 2 ounces
- 3 cups half & half half cream/half milk
- Carbohydrate 29.1745978149202 g
- Cholesterol 91.2799999818059 mg
- Fat 30.5786197170908 g
- Fiber 2.06802514803818 g
- Protein 15.7024716799887 g
- Saturated Fat 18.7860062391064 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (285g)
- Sodium 222.599029594418 mg
- Sugar 27.106572666882 g
- Trans Fat 1.97250218579168 g
- Calories 447 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large casserole dish with 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter. If you use a casserole dish that is about 9x13 (bigger than the one shown) you'll have more surface area, more of the potatoes will brown, and the cooking time will be faster.
- Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer on 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese. Layer on 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 of the parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
- Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Layer on the remaining sliced onions, 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese, the remaining bacon, parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
- Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices. Add the half and half. Dot the potatoes with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter.
- Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. After an hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes. When done, the potatoes should be tender, but not mushy, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed.
- For a faster cooking time, you can parboil the sliced potatoes for 8 minutes first, patting them dry, before layering them in the casserole pan. In this case the total oven cooking time is about 35-45 minutes.
Serving and Pairing
Rich, dairy-heavy side dishes require bright, acid-driven proteins to balance the palate. Roast pork loin with a mustard pan sauce or a simple roasted whole chicken cuts through the heavy fats of Swiss cheese and butter. Serve with roasted green beans tossed in lemon juice or a sharp arugula salad dressed simply in red wine vinegar.- Potatoes remain undercooked in the center: The casserole dish was likely too deep. Spread the slices across a larger 9x13-inch pan to increase surface area.
- Sauce breaks or curdles: Half-and-half contains enough milk fat to withstand 350 degrees Fahrenheit, but heavy cream provides an even higher fat buffer if curdling occurs.
