Potatoes au Gratin

Potatoes au Gratin

The humble potato gets the red carpet treatment in this easy yet luxurious recipe for potatoes au gratin. Sliced Yukon Gold or russet potatoes (you can use either, but don't use a combination as they cook at different rates) are layered with half-and-half or heavy cream, topped with butter and grated cheese, then baked until golden and bubbly. Feel free to play around: Add leeks, onions, garlic or more cheese between the layers. Experiment with fresh or dried herbs. It's incredibly adaptable and practically foolproof. Just don't forget to season with salt and pepper as you go. Like all potato dishes, it needs plenty of seasoning.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

3 to 4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 to 3 cups half-and-half or heavy cream

¼ cup grated Parmesan or Gruyère

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Seasoning each layer with salt and pepper as you go, layer the potatoes in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet.

Dot the top with 2 tablespoons butter. Pour in half-and-half. (It should come about ¾ of the way to the top.)

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the half-and-half has reduced by about half.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and cook until the potatoes are fork tender and the top is nicely browned, about 8 minutes more. Top with grated cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melty and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg, if using, and serve.

TIP: Typical Mark Bittman recipe - the base is simple and great as is but it is also endlessly customizable. I had whipping cream and no cheese, so I did a 3 parts cream, one part veg broth that I poured over the potatoes and butter. I tossed in some crushed garlic and added salt and pepper. I followed the cooking directions as written. My husband called these potatoes the lobster of vegetables. Thanks Mark! This recipe is a keeper.

I simply place unpeeled yukon sliced potatoes in a bowl with cream, wipe a casserole with halved garlic then arrange the sliced potatoes in layers, sprinkling each with salt, pepper and perhaps sauteed leeks. Then I pour the cream on, top with cheese and bake at 375 for an hour. For make ahead, I bake for 40 min. and then before serving bake for the additional 20-25 min. Otherwise just bake for about an hour.

Made this in my cast iron skillet and it was a hit for thanksgiving. I used Parmesan and a black truffle gruyere and added parsley, shallots, and garlic. I used cheese and the diced shallots/garlic in between every layer - absolutely divine. You’ll want to give it lots of time on the stove to reduce (30 minutes) before going in the oven. I also gave extra time after changing oven temp to 300 and finished in the broiler at the very end to get good color on top.

Charred Corn and Pickled Jalapeño Potato Salad

Charred Corn and Pickled Jalapeño Potato Salad

This creamy five-ingredient potato salad features two surprise ingredients: pickled jalapeños, which lend heat and acidity, and blistered corn, which adds sweet and smoky notes. Rather than the usual cookie-cutter cubes of boiled potatoes, chunks of potato are simmered until they are so soft that they break up a little bit when combined with the remaining ingredients, adding extra creaminess to the traditional side. Rubbing mayonnaise on the corn before blistering it in a hot cast-iron skillet helps keep the kernels moist and also seasons them. Pickled jalapeños provide verve, but they vary in acidity and spice, so adjust the seasoning until this salad tastes just right to you.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

Salt

3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed

1 tablespoon plus ⅓ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sliced pickled jalapeños, finely chopped, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons brine and a few coarsely chopped pieces for garnish

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Season the water generously with salt and simmer the potatoes until soft and tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot to dry over low heat for about 1 minute. Transfer the potatoes into a large bowl.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Rub the ears of corn with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, covering all of the kernels. Add the corn to the hot skillet and cook, turning frequently, until charred and blistered all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the corn to a cutting board to cool slightly. 

Carefully cut the blistered kernels off of the cobs and transfer them to the bowl with the potatoes. Add the pickled jalapeños, pickle brine, garlic and the remaining ⅓ cup mayonnaise and mix thoroughly, allowing some of the tender potatoes to become fully mashed while you mix. (This is great for the texture of the potato salad and makes it creamier.) Season to taste with salt.

The potato salad can be served while it’s still warm, room temperature or chilled. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)

TIP: This works really well with the Sweet Hot Jalepeños from Trader Joe’s. The sweetness adds another dimension.

I cheated and used 1.5 cups of frozen fire roasted corn instead of dealing with whole ears. I tossed it in a skillet with the mayo until it was warmed through and smoking a bit. Followed the rest of the recipe, added a bit more mayo and brine. Excellent- can’t wait to make it again!

This was excellent. We swapped ~half the mayo for greek yogurt because we had it on hand, and doubled the amount of pickled jalepeños. Next time, I will do the same, and also cut the potatoes into even smaller (more bite-sized) pieces.

Pepperoncini Potato Salad

Pepperoncini Potato Salad

Classic mayonnaise-based potato salad is great, but sometimes it’s nice to switch it up. The whipped tahini in this recipe provides an equally tangy and creamy dressing that’s not only vegan but also more suitable for summer dining since it doesn’t spoil at the same rate as its mayonnaise-sauced counterparts. Tahini brands differ, so make sure to add water little by little, whisking thoroughly after each addition, to achieve the right texture. Pepperoncini does double duty here, with its brine adding acid to the sauce and the bits of tangy pickled pepper lending texture throughout. Baby Yukon Gold potatoes are optimal for their crunchy skin and creamy interior, but if you can’t find them, large Russets or Yukon Gold potatoes cut into bite-size pieces will work, too.

Yield: 10 servings

3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered into bite-size pieces

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste

½ cup tahini, well stirred

2 tablespoons olive oil

⅓ to ½ cup room-temperature water

½ cup pepperoncini, drained, then coarsely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon pepperoncini brine

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more if desired for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Generously salt the water, gently stir and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re fork-tender; test one of the pieces with a paring knife, fork or cake tester — it should go through with no resistance.  

Drain potatoes in a colander, and set them aside to cool to room temperature while you prepare the dressing. (To speed up cooling, tip them out into an even layer on a baking sheet.)

Put the garlic and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to temper the bite of raw garlic. Add the tahini, olive oil and pepperoncini brine, and whisk with about a teaspoon of water. Keep adding water, a little at a time and whisking vigorously between each addition, until the tahini is the consistency of sour cream. It will start smooth, then get grainy and look separated. That’s OK; it will come back together once enough water is added. (Tahini brands vary, so it may take more or less water to get there.) 

Add the celery, parsley and pepperoncini. Season generously with salt and pepper, stir and taste it. Adjust for seasoning with more salt, pepper and lemon juice. 

Add the cooled potatoes and use the spatula to gently coat everything evenly in the dressing. Taste and adjust for seasoning once more, bearing in mind that the flavors will mellow a bit as it sits. Before serving, top with more parsley, if desired. 

Serve at room temperature or chilled, as preferred; if serving chilled, cover and refrigerate for up to a day before serving. The potato salad is at its peak after 1 day, but will keep for 3 days covered in the fridge.