Decadent Scalloped Potatoes

This was my first time making homemade scalloped potatoes, and I am amazed by how incredibly easy it was!  I did have the help of a little kitchen tool called a mandoline, which did the majority of the work for me :-)

Zyliss Mandoline and Julienne Slicer

I absolutely LOVE this time-saving gadget!  Before owning my mandoline, the tedious task of slicing potatoes super thin while trying to keep all my fingers intact was somewhat daunting, not to mention time consuming.  Granted, it is important to be very careful when using a mandoline, as it has an extremely sharp blade that will easily slice through a finger. I made the one-time mistake of foregoing the use of the red slicing guard (shown above) and will never do so again! 

Note:  If you don't own a mandoline, you can get a great one for about $20... it is worth every cent. The Zyliss I own doubles as a julienne slicer too!

Now for the recipe...

I loosely followed Tyler Florence's Scalloped Potato Gratin recipe, using the ingredients I had on hand.  

Decadent Scalloped Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of salt

1 tbsp. salted butter (for greasing baking dish)

2 large red potatoes, sliced into 1/8 inch thickness

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

1 piece of crisp cooked bacon, for crumbling on top

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the cream, bay leaves, thyme, garlic, nutmeg, and black pepper and warm over medium-low heat.

While cream is heating, butter a shallow ceramic or glass baking dish.  Add the sliced potatoes into the pan with the cream and stir gently to coat the potatoes.  Season with salt.  

Spoon a little cream into the bottom of the buttered baking dish and layer the potatoes evenly in the bottom.   Pour the remaining cream over the potatoes.   

Top the potatoes with the grated parmigiano reggiano and crumbled bacon. 

Cover the dish with aluminum foil, pulling back one corner to allow steam to escape.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes and enjoy!

I savored each delicious bite of these potatoes, which were served alongside pan-fried whitefish and some steamed veggies.  Due to their richness, you really only need a small serving to satisfy that comfort food craving.  You could try making these with half heavy cream and half lowfat milk next time if you are seeking a slightly lighter version of scalloped potatoes.  

Make these potatoes for your next dinner party or holiday gathering with family and friends... they won't disappoint :-)

Librarian turned Foodie