The Old English word for thinly sliced potatoes is “collops”, hence the name Scalloped Potatoes, a popular British dish made with sliced potatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs in a cream sauce, sometimes topped with bread crumbs. In France, a similar dish is called Au Gratin Potatoes (Gratin de Pommes de Terre), the main difference being that the French dish uses cheese and cream to make a richer sauce and the potatoes are usually sliced thinner. Either way you make it, it’s pure comfort food! Here’s my version of this popular comforting dish. I hope you enjoy it.

CHEESY HERBED AU GRATIN POTATOES
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 medium all-purpose potatoes peeled and sliced thin (about 1/16 inch; use the slicing blade on your food processor or a mandoline)
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion chopped (a heaping ½ cup+)
1 tablespoon fresh sage minced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 cup milk or half-and-half
2 teaspoons flour
1/2-3/4 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper
Bread crumbs (optional)

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 425 and coat a 9 inch Pyrex pie plate or dish with butter.

Peel and slice the potatoes using the slicing blade of a food processor or a mandoline and place them in a bowl of water with a bit of salt to keep them from turning brown.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and saute for a minute, add the garlic, and continue to saute until the onion is translucent.
Add the flour and stir for a minute or two until well mixed with the onion mixture.
Stirring constantly, slowly add the milk and half the cheese, sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Continue to stir over low heat until the mixture thickens. (Do not boil.) Cover and set aside off the heat.
Strain the potatoes and pat dry. Add half the potatoes and half the warm sauce to the buttered pie plate; add the remaining potatoes and remaining sauce. Top with the remaining cheese and some freshly grated black pepper. (Optional: sprinkle with Panko bread crumbs.)
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

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I confess, although healthy and good for you, sweet potatoes are not my favorite thing to eat, but this recipe is the exception. I love it! Creamy and luscious with notes of orange, a hint of nutmeg, and a whisper of heat, it’s almost like eating warm orange sherbet! Serve it with Baked Scallops in Wine Sauce and wow your family and guests. Bon appétit!

Sweet Potato Purée
Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Place a steamer insert or a mesh colander in a large pot and add enough water to reach the bottom of the steamer. Place the sweet potatoes in the steamer and bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and cook over simmering water for about 25 minutes, until very tender. Check occasionally to be sure the water doesn't boil away. Alternatively, simply boil the chunks the way you would white potatoes, covered with some lightly salted water, until very tender.
Transfer the drained sweet potatoes to a food processor. With the processor on low, slowly add the half-and-half, orange zest, orange juice, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until incorporated. Add the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, with the processor on low until incorporated and smooth. If necessary adjust the seasonings to your taste. Serve hot.

Adapted from: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sweet-potato-puree-5486130

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Au Gratin Potatoes →

Sweet Potato Purée →