Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Easter Recipes Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Recipes Potatoes Budget Recipes Side Dishes Vegetables Oven Recipes
Just two main ingredients: cream and potatoes. Plus the usual seasonings: salt and pepper. And optional aromatics: horseradish and nutmeg. That's how simple today's recipe is.
I saw that you liked the idea of mashed potatoes with horseradish and I wanted to make another similar combination. However, as I said, these are optional, you can replace them depending on what you serve alongside. A sprig of rosemary would work, or 2-3 cloves of garlic + 2 sprigs of thyme, or 2-3 sprigs of tarragon, lemon thyme, bay leaves...
In this version they would have been suitable to accompany the Easter lamb roast, but I missed the start, so it remains for next year. However, they are perfect to take with you to a barbecue, because they go very well with any grilled meat and they're good cold.
I foresee a question... which I'll answer in advance: yes, it is mandatory to use heavy cream, otherwise it can curdle in the oven and the result will not be as creamy.
Ingredients
6 starchy potatoes (approx 1 kg)
500 ml heavy cream for cooking (32% fat)
2 heaping teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt, black pepper
Servings: 4-5
How to prepare creamy scalloped potatoes
- Put the cream on low heat and warm it to liquefy a bit (this makes it easier to pour over the potatoes). Add the horseradish, nutmeg and salt to taste. Taste to make sure it's pleasantly salted, otherwise the cream is quite bland. Seasoning is important here.
* if instead of horseradish you want to use herbs or garlic: warm the cream, add them to it, cover with a lid and let infuse for at least 10 minutes; then remove them from the cream and continue with the steps below - Slice the potatoes thin like chips (I used this grater with a simple blade, at the smallest setting).
- In an oven-safe dish (23 x 15 cm) pour a thin layer of cream, just enough to cover the bottom.
- Start layering the potato slices. Season each layer with salt and pepper. When you've added half the potatoes, pour half of the cream (be careful to include the horseradish, it tends to settle at the bottom).
- Continue layering seasoned potatoes until you finish them (or until the dish is full; you need to leave at least a finger's width of space at the top, because the cream will puff up a bit in the oven). Pour the rest of the cream over the potatoes. Shake the dish a little so the cream goes between the layers and settles. The cream should be enough to cover the potatoes.
- Put the dish in the oven at 160°C for 1 hour and 20 minutes. After this time, poke with a knife in the center and if it goes in easily, the potatoes are done. The cream should be lightly golden on top.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes, then it can be sliced. They're good warm, cold or reheated (on low heat, in the oven).
Layers of seasoned potatoes in the dish
Half the potatoes covered with cream
Dish is ready, goes into the oven
Gratin potatoes
Sliced right after taking out of the oven
