A warming dish for cold days
On a cold night when calories don’t count as much as satisfaction at the table, this recipe for scalloped potatoes is the answer. It’s from a cookbook called Gatherings: Bring People Together with Food by Jan Scott and Julie Van Rosendaal (Whitecap Books).
Use fat-reduced milk instead of whipping cream if you prefer, but avoid heating it above a gentle simmer or it might curdle. You can substitute sweet potatoes and butternut squash for half the potatoes. Or you could add sliced, browned onions and shredded cheddar cheese to each layer of potatoes.
POTATOES DAUPHINOISE
Serves: 6
Butter 3 cups (750 mL) whipping cream 2 garlic cloves, smashed but not chopped 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme Salt and freshly ground pepper Freshly grated nutmeg or pinch dried 3 lbs (1.4 kg, or about 8 medium) Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1 cup (250 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter a 9-by-9-in. (22.5-by-22.5-cm) casserole dish.
2. In a large pot, combine cream, garlic, thyme and 1 tsp (5 mL) salt over medium heat and warm just until bubbles begin to form at the edge of the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, discarding garlic and thyme.
3. Spoon a small amount of the cream into the prepared casserole dish. Add a layer of potato slices evenly, overlapping them slightly. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Add more cream, potatoes and seasonings.
4. Continue layers until all the potatoes are in the casserole and pour remaining cream over all, tilting the casserole to coat the surface and distribute the cream evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 1½ hours.
5. Remove foil, sprinkle potatoes with cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.