Elegant Scalloped Potatoes
Originally published as Elegant Scalloped Potatoes in Quick Cooking March/April 2004, p29. I wanted a different side dish one night, so I dressed up my usual scalloped potatoes with bacon, green onion and extra cheese. Microwaving speeds things up, but you can save even more time by preparing it a day early.
Originally published as Elegant Scalloped Potatoes in Quick Cooking March/April 2004, p29. I wanted a different side dish one night, so I dressed up my usual scalloped potatoes with bacon, green onion and extra cheese. Microwaving speeds things up, but you can save even more time by preparing it a day early.
- Carbohydrate 59.3708488704115 g
- Cholesterol 52.6222023320985 mg
- Fat 19.4747900605558 g
- Fiber 6.64584838053827 g
- Protein 18.2454554098182 g
- Saturated Fat 11.2577586623586 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (364g)
- Sodium 838.337231155001 mg
- Sugar 52.7250004898732 g
- Trans Fat 1.39017122324495 g
- Calories 480 calories
Step-by-step
- Scrub and pierce potatoes; place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly.
- In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the process cheese and bacon; stir until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat; set aside.
- Cut potatoes into 1/4-in. slices. Place a third of the slices in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; top with a third of the cheese sauce. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and onions.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Starch does the heaviest lifting in this dish, specifically the amylose and amylopectin released by baking potatoes as they slice into quarter-inch disks. Selecting russet or baking varieties ensures a mealy texture that readily absorbs surrounding liquids without immediately disintegrating.
Creating the foundational sauce requires cooking butter and flour together to form a blond roux before whisking in milk. This thermal starch gelatinization traps the dairy fats within a stable network, preventing the milk solids from separating when exposed to the oven heat.
Incorporating processed cheese alongside aged cheddar leverages different melting properties. Processed blocks contain emulsifying salts like sodium citrate, which guarantee a smooth, uniform sauce texture that naturally resists graininess at high temperatures.
Preparing this casserole in larger or smaller batches requires adjusting the initial microwave softening time proportionally to maintain even thermal penetration before assembly. Baking proceeds uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, allowing surface moisture to evaporate and concentrate the top layer of shredded cheddar.
