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Growing up, we had scalloped potatoes with dinner often. The boxed kind. Yes, I remember dehydrated potato chips that sounded like poker chips tumbling into the pan and the addition of a “powder packet” and a little milk. This was the 80s and my parents’ style of cooking was ista-everything. If you remember Swansons and Hungry Man dinners, you’re in good company my friend. So, you can imagine why scalloped potatoes were a sort of “meh” addition to any meal.

Fast forward 40 years. I wanted a scalloped potato recipe that was both fresh, but comforting. This scalloped potato is best made and presented in a shallow pan and made ahead. It blends and comes together as it cools and tasted doubly good twice baked the second day. You can use any fancy meltable cheese such a gruyère or fontina, but I prefer a good old shredded block of medium cheddar for this.

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Serves 6 | Prep Time :30 | Total Cook Time 1:05  

INGREDIENTS 

• 4-5 medium russet or yukon gold potatoes (a mixture of both is nice)
• ½ lb. medium cheddar block (preferable over pre-shredded cheese)
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ medium yellow onion
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. fine salt
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
• ¼ tbsp. garlic salt
• ¼ tsp. ground fresh black pepper
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  

EQUIPMENT 

• shallow 12″ gratin pan or oven-safe serving dish
• mandolin

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Peel and rinse potatoes.
3. With the mandolin set at ¼ inch thickness, slice potatoes.
4. In a bowl, mix together cream, shredded cheese, nutmeg, garlic salt, paprika, and pepper. Set aside.
5. Slice onion into ¼” strips.
6. In a sauté pan, melt butter then add onions over medium heat.
7. Stir in salt and sugar and mix well.
8. Sauté onions until softened and caramelized to a golden brown.
9. Add onions to the cream mixture. Stir until mixture is well blended.
10. Line gratin pan with single layer of potatoes so that no part of the pan bottom is exposed.
11. With a tablespoon, spoon cream mixture over sections of the potato, using the back of the spoon to coat all edges of the potatoes. Be sure not to oversaturate the potatoes or the dish will come out soupy.
12. Set a second layer of potatoes over the first cream mixture. Spoon the remaining cream mixture over the top, again taking care not to saturate it.
13. Dust with the chopped parsley over top for garnish.
14. Cook at 375° for 55 minutes.
15. Raise temperature to 425° to finish top with a golden bubble.
16. Cool completely before serving OR refrigerate overnight for best results and reheat next day at 325° for 20 minutes or until warm.