Potatoes au Gratin

I assume you need a stupendously good holiday potato recipe? Well, today is your lucky day.

This started out as an Emeril Lagasse recipe as I recall, I fiddled with it some, and now I’ve been making it forever. But let me be perfectly clear: this isn’t some run-of-the-mill potatoes au gratin recipe. THIS recipe is THE BEST Potatoes au Gratin recipe I’ve ever, ever, had. And it’s simple. It’s not diet food, but it’s easy, and it’s outlandishly good.

Years ago I hosted a fancy dinner party for some VIP guests I didn’t know. It was two other couples, plus the two of us. The husbands were business contacts of my husband’s–clients, maybe? Anyway, it was supposed to be really nice, and I suppose it was. Everybody was nicely dressed, using their party manners. I don’t remember what I made as a main course–something expensive and beefy, probably–but I do know I made these Potatoes au Gratin to go with it.

After dinner, I served dessert on the deck so the men could have bourbon and cigars and talk business. A bit later, we women were milling around inside and I went out to clear dessert plates. When I got back to the kitchen, the wives were eating the rest of the (now cold) Potatoes au Gratin directly out of the casserole dish I’d left on the stove. One was using the serving spoon, and the other was using her fingers. Party manners be damned, soon we were all snorting laughing, and they were still eating straight out of the pan. (Yes, I did give Miss Fingers a fork.) They weren’t even a little bit embarrassed, and one of them kept repeating “BUT these potatoes with this sauce!” You had to be there, it was hilarious, and we all bonded immediately. They each left with the recipe, and I don’t know what the guys ever ended up doing, but the girls were certainly happy.

For this recipe I use either russet potatoes or Yukon golds. The cheese type is up to you, just be aware that it will melt best if you don’t use pre-grated cheese. We most often use Swiss or an extra-sharp cheddar around here. You must, however, use heavy cream. Neither milk nor half and half will give you the same results.

The recipe only calls for salt and pepper for seasoning, and, really, that’s enough. but I’ve been known to gild the lily with onion powder before. And I’ll even add a little thyme if I’ve sprung for gruyère. You have some wiggle room with seasoning if you feel you need it.

As for a topping? Honey, you do you! Follow your bliss, baby! If you want to put stale potato chip crumbs on top, I won’t say a THING. (I happen to know you can use Zapp’s Voodoo Chips crumbs to the extreme approval of a bunch of college kids, but I’m a plain Golden Flake girl, myself.) Ritz cracker crumbs? Bring it! The rest of the can of French fried onions left from Thanksgiving? Absolutely! Fresh breadcrumbs tossed with butter? That’s exactly what I use when I need to be fancy. Sometimes I even add parsley. My only recommendation here is to use a cheese/topping combo that sounds good to you and suits your menu.

To make these beauties ahead, simply cook the potatoes on the stovetop, assemble the dish, cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to bake. If the casserole is cold, they will probably need to bake for a few minutes longer.

Love, love, LOVE!