Scalloped Potato Guide

• Add sliced sweet potatoes, ground nutmeg, chopped chives and grated parmesan cheese to standard scalloped potatoes.
• Layer scalloped potatoes with turnip slices and spanish onion slices. Add milk to cover. Dot with butter; then bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until tender.
• Add Dijon-style mustard to white sauce. Layer potatoes with shredded Swiss, mozzarella, Monterey Jack or cheddar and diced ham. Top with sauce and bake.
• For healthier scalloped potatoes use skim milk; then add chopped fresh sage leaves and thinly sliced yellow onion for flavor.

Preparation

All Scalloped and Au Gratin potatoes are baked "en casserole" and made from peeled potatoes combined with flavored heavy cream, white or cheese sauce, or uncooked custard, then slowly baked until potatoes are extremely tender. For best results use 100 - 70 count fresh potatoes. Slice potatoes 1/8 - 1/16" inch thick. If you pre-slice your potatoes, acidulate them in water with lemon juice; then dry, cover and refrigerate to prevent browning. Layer potatoes in a buttered pan and add heated cream, sauce or custard. Shake pans to distribute ingredients evenly. Cover loosely with foil; then bake in a moderate oven (325 - 350°F) until tender, about one hour. To brown scalloped potatoes, remove foil and brown as desired. For au gratin potatoes, top with bread crumbs, butter and grated cheese after baking; then brown. Scalloped potatoes are done when potatoes are tender but hold their shape when portioned. The sauce should be smooth and uncurdled. (Bake potatoes in a water bath to prevent curdling.) For most attractive portioning, hold potatoes for 10 minutes before serving. En casserole dishes hold longer than boiled or baked potatoes. To hold, cover dish loosely with foil and hold in a warm place. The dish can be held throughout a typical service period, about two hours. If necessary, scalloped and au gratin potatoes can be reheated in the oven or browned lightly under a salamander or broiler.

For quick scalloped potatoes, mix flour, salt, pepper and milk; then pour over potatoes and bake for one hour. The long baking time dissipates the flour taste. For low-fat scalloped potatoes, mix skim milk, potatoes, garlic, salt and pepper and simmer until potatoes are nearly cooked. Dilute arrowroot with a little cold milk (1/2 oz. arrowroot to 2 qts. milk) and add to simmering potato mixture. Stir until thickened and pour into a hotel pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350°F until brown.