In our experience, most recipes for scalloped potatoes take hours of work yet still produce unevenly cooked potatoes in a heavy, curdled sauce. This version is faster than most and produces layer upon layer of thinly sliced, tender potatoes, creamy sauce and nicely browned, cheesy crust.
Simmering the potatoes briefly in heavy cream thinned out with milk before moving the production into a baking dish cut the cooking time significantly while also eliminating the risk of raw potatoes in the finished dish.
A sprinkling of cheddar cheese and a mere 20 minutes in the oven were enough to produce an appealingly browned, cheesy crust. Russet potatoes, thinly sliced, gave us neat layers with the best texture and flavor. For the fastest and most consistent results, slice the potatoes in a food processor.
SCALLOPED POTATOES
Servings: 8-10
Start to finish: 1 hour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Nutrition information per serving: 462 calories; 302 calories from fat; 34 g fat (21 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 119 mg cholesterol; 577 mg sodium; 35 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 9 g protein.
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