Decadent Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 8 - 10

When the days get shorter, the wind and rain pick up, and the trees are looking naked it’s time to treat yourself to some comfort food – and these saucy potatoes are just that.  Creamy, steamy, and luscious, these taters are equally good with homey classics like meatloaf, or can be deluxe alongside holiday dishes and more elaborate fare.  We recently served them alongside Chanterelles with “Chicken” and Onions for a sumptuous seasonal meal.  Make extra, because you definitely want to wake up on the weekend and make the bonus recipe of JJ’s Own Private Sunshine Over Idaho.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Grate (a great activity to sub out – let someone earn dinner!):

• 4.5 oz muenster, fontina, swiss or similar cheese (about the size of your palm before grating) or for dairy free whisk ~1/2 t nutritional yeast into a broth-milk mixture (see below).

Cut the following into slices:

• 2 large sweet onions (or 3 med-large boiler onions), trimmed, peeled & cut crosswise
• 10 small-medium Yukon gold or russet potatoes (or other with a relatively thin skin, ~2 lb), into halves and then ¼” slices

Finely dice

• 1 T fresh rosemary or thyme (or 2 t dried) - or try scallions or the herbs of your choice

Get ready

• 4 T potato starch (or tapioca, or corn)
• 4-5 c milk or your choice (unsweetened, unflavored if you go for almond or soymilk), or a combination of milk and veggie stock if you want to lighten it up, but no more than ½ stock.

Now that you’ve got all your “shtuff”, grease your chosen scalloped dish (if you anticipate overage, grease another smaller one too…mmm leftovers).  Our recommendation (though we don’t heed it) is for a lower & broader dish, but use what you’ve got. We use two pyrex casserole dishes, one roughly 6.5” x 8.5”, the other 7.5” x 9.5” – you know, those nesting ones.  Next time I’m going to try it in our large, 12” cast iron pan just to see. 

You are going for 3-4 layers that distribute the ingredients evenly – push down a little as you near the end if you are reaching critical mass.  Repeat in order the following until the ingredients are used up:

1. Thin layer of potatoes, slightly overlapping
2. Sprinkle of rosemary, salt and coarse black pepper
3. Layer of onions
4. ~1 T of potato starch
5. Thin layer of cheese, if using
6. Repeat until done...

Ready for the oven!
(We used butter this time but decided it didn't really need it)

Move the dish(es) to a baking sheet (to catch spills – these are almost guaranteed to overflow if you don’t) then fill the dish 1/3 to ½ the way up the side with your chosen milk, or milk-broth mix depending on the level of creaminess that you desire.

Cover with foil and bake for 60 – 90 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened and the potatoes are cooked through.  If you want a crispier crust, remove the foil and broil briefly until golden.  Let rest 5-10 minutes to cool from “surface of the sun” to something less likely to scald the roof of your mouth. Serve, luxuriate and enjoy!

Bonus Recipe: JJ’s Own Private Sunshine Over Idaho.

Warm leftover scalloped potatoes in a pan, with a little stock or milk if needed to keep them from sticking.  Alternatively, you can just pop the dish back in a 350^o oven for 20-30 min until warmed though.  Portion into shallow bowls and top with the runny egg of your choice, like fired, poached or basted.

** To baste an egg: place a pan over medium heat, when hot enough to sizzle a few drops of water, add just enough butter or olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Crack in eggs, taking care not to break the yolk; sprinkle with salt & coarse black pepper.  Pour about a ¼ c worth of water around the edges of the egg white, quickly loosen the bottom of the egg from the pan with a thin spatula and cover with a fairly tight fitting lid or inverted plate.  Let steam until the “eye” is closed – the yolk glazed over and not raw looking – and is your desired doneness.  About 2 min for runny; wiggle the pan slightly to see how jiggly the yolk it, you want it to be set but still wobble.  Remove with a slotted spatula, holding the egg above the pan for a moment to let the excess water drain off, and serve.  If this looks crazy difficult, its really not.  Check out Jeffery Saad on YouTube, for how to fry or baste an egg – the guy drives me nuts, but he does a nice job of showing you how.