Ham and Gruyère Potato Gratin MAKES 6 SERVINGS AS A MAIN DISH
Ham and potato casserole is an absolute bedrock of casserole culture. How many times have you seen this classic on a potluck table? I love the old-school version, but I also think that a potato casserole lends itself beautifully to a more upscale interpretation. I substitute a brown-butter white sauce for the can of soup, and fresh potatoes for frozen (slicing them gratin-style classes this up, too). Caramelized onions, whole-grain mustard and rosemary level-up the flavor for a ham and potato bake that deserves to be the star of a dinner party. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 large white onion (1 pound), cut into quarter moons 21/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon minced rosemary, from 1 large sprig 1/3 cup flour 3 cups whole milk freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard 3/4 pound thickly-sliced ham, roughly torn or chopped 1/2 pound shredded Gruyère cheese, divided 3 pounds russet potatoes, well-scrubbed finely-chopped Italian parsley, to garnish 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. 2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Stir in the onions and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook on medium heat (lower the heat if onions begin to crisp or burn on edges), stirring occasionally, until onions are light brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Near the end of cooking, stir in the garlic and rosemary. 3. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter brown until it smells toasty and darkens in color. Remove from the heat and rapidly whisk in the flour; it will clump up into thick, oily crumbs. Pour in about ½ cup of milk, whisking vigorously, then return to the heat and slowly whisk in the rest of the milk, beating each time until the mixture is relatively smooth. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. The sauce will be the consistency of a thin batter. Stir in a generous quantity of black pepper as well as the mustard. 4. Scrape the white sauce into a large bowl and stir in the caramelized onions, ham and half of the shredded Gruyère cheese. Cut each potato lengthwise, then use a mandoline or very sharp knife to slice about ¼-inch thick. Stir into the white sauce as the potatoes are sliced. 5. Spread the potatoes and sauce evenly in the prepared dish and sprinkle the remaining Gruyère over the top. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Turn oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until top browns and edges bubble. Sprinkle lightly with finely chopped parsley to garnish. It may look soupy but will firm up quickly as it cools. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
24 real food fall 2019
