SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH GUYERE CHEESE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F; butter a large casserole dish with 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter. If you use a casserole dish that is about 9x13, you'll have more surface area, more of the potatoes will brown, and the cooking time will be faster.
• Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Layer on 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 cup of the Gruyere cheese.
• Layer on 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 of the parsley and chives.
• Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
• Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
• Layer on the remaining sliced onions, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere cheese, the remaining bacon, parsley and chives.
• Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
• Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices. Add the half and half. Dot the potatoes with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter.
• Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. After an hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
• Return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes.
• When done, the potatoes should be tender, but not mushy, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed.
• Note: For a faster cooking time, you can parboil the sliced potatoes for 8 minutes first, patting them dry, before layering them in the casserole pan. In this case the total oven cooking time is about 35-45 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Mix together the salt and pepper. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice into rounds. Spread one-third of the potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and season with about one-fourth of the salt mixture. Top with one-third of the Gruyère and half of the leeks and season with about one-third of the remaining salt mixture. Top with half of the remaining potato slices, half of the remaining Gruyère and the rest of the leeks, seasoning with half of the remaining salt mixture as you go. Finish with the remaining potatoes and Gruyère and season with the remaining salt mixture.
• In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-high heat until it is simmering. Pour the hot cream evenly over the potatoes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue baking until the potatoes are tender, coated with a creamy sauce and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then serve hot. Serves 8.
• Variation: For the classic all-American version of scalloped potatoes, omit the leeks and substitute sharp white Cheddar cheese for the Gruyère and whole milk for the cream. As you add the potatoes, sprinkle each layer with 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour, for a total of 3 Tbs.
• Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>Comfort Food,</i> by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).