(later update: I look back on these food/recipe writeups and I'm realizing that aside from some slight personal satisfaction, they are a waste of time. I post them on Blogger, FB, and X, and almost nobody reads, comments, or cares. There is no reward to speak of. No reason to continue. Oh well, so it is written, so it shall be.)
Some dishes are so memorable, they need a name of their own. Well, I have this potato casserole that makes the women-folks voices drop an octave, and their eyes go all far away.
Potato Au Gratin is a staple dish, and so are Potatoes Diane and scalloped potatoes. When we order them, we have a really good idea the dish that will arrive at the table. Hash browns are hash browns and home fries are home fries. Every one of these names causes a picture to appear in the mind, and for most people.... cravings.
This casserole brings potatoes, cheese(s), leeks, and bacon to the game. Garlic is notable as well. This is far from a 'healthy' dish, except the satisfaction and joy it brings overcome the non-kaleness of it. It is a kissing cousin to Potatoes Romanov, but a little different in texture and flavor.
The dish is inspired by our love of the potato gratin served at The Blackworth Live fire Grill in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Their lava-hot offering served in the baking dish is incredibly rich and flavorful. Decadently so. We've been trying to match it at home since we first tasted it, and this casserole might just equal their dish, even if not duplicating it.
Ingredients:
- Russet potatoes, peeled and par cooked to an internal temp of 150-160 degrees. It works out to roughly one large Russet per person.
- The best parts from 3 leeks, white and light green, chopped in small pieces and washed well. Save the tough dark green leaves for making stock.
- 4 slices thick bacon, seasoned with black pepper and paprika, and roasted till crispy.
- 8 ounce of Swiss cheese, and 8 ounces of mild cheddar, all cubed. The cheese here is whatever you like and I use the best I have on hand. Note that Brie snuggles right into this dish like an old lover.
- Several cups of whole milk.
- 1/4 pound unsalted butter, but salted is okay.
- Two or three heaping tablespoons AP flour. More is more thick, less is more saucy.
- A teaspoon of dried garlic, or a tablespoon of roasted garlic.
- A teaspoon each of dried rosemary, dried thyme, and a scant teaspoon of Aleppo pepper flakes.
- Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste.
The prep begins the morning of, or even the day before. In fact, the whole dish can be done the day before and refrigerated till needed. Aside from a couple steps, most of it can happen whenever its convenient.
The leeks, bacon, and potatoes all need to be cooked ahead of time. Cooked and cooled, actually. They will come into play when building the final dish.
The cleaned and well chopped leaks go in a pot with a knob of butter, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Set the heat to medium and keep an eye on them, stirring occasionally. We are trying to sweat down and soften the leeks, but not Sautee them brown. Once they go soft and Lucious, set the pot off the heat and put a lid on it.
Here, we oven roast the bacon. Just laid on a piece of foil, and seasoned with black pepper and paprika. A slightly heavy hand with both. Roast at 375 till crispy, turning once. It takes about 20-25 minutes. The last five minutes needs eyes-on so the bacon doesn't go too over. Crumbly crispy is the goal, but choppity choppity crispy is fine.
Potatoes, four large Russets, peeled and simmered in salted water. It takes about 30 minutes to reach 150-160 degrees internal, and the meat thermometer is our friend here. When partially boiled to that temp, drain the potatoes and set them out on a plate to dry well. Let them go cold, the same as the leeks and bacon. The potatoes are going to be hand grated, so cool is important.
The sauce can also be done ahead, but it mixes with the potatoes so much better when hot.
For the sauce, toss the butter in a pot at medium high heat, and while it melts drop in all the seasonings you are using. As soon as the butter is melted, drop in at least two tablespoons of flour and begin stirring with a whisk. Once the flour is all incorporated with the fat and cooked a minute or two, pour in the milk. Keep stirring. Drop in the cubed cheese. Keep stirring. Continue stirring as it heats and thickens, till the first signs of boiling. At that point set it off the heat and stir a few moments longer so the sauce does not burn on the bottom*. Stir in about half the crumbled bacon and all the leeks.
Now for the potatoes. Get out the box grater, and get busy with those taters on the course side of the grater. If space is an issue, the grated potatoes can go in the sauce pot as each is done.
Fold the sauce/potato/leek mixture till incorporated, and then tip it all into a casserole dish. If it doesn't fill the dish, no problem. If there's more than the dish can hold it's time to fill ramakins. Don't waste a drop.
An alternative, and a much classier method, is to forego the casserole dish and go straight to individual oven-proof dishes. Each one bakes into a lovely personal casserole that blows the socks off the diners.
Either way, crumble the bacon on top of whatever dish you are using and into a 350 degree oven for an hour. Yes... lot's of heat for a longish time, but remember, the potatoes were only par-cooked. We want over-the-top creaminess and depth of flavor here.
Once the time goes off, just shut off the heat and crack the oven door open. Do not touch that dish of lava. Set the timer for 30 minutes, and go prepare the rest of dinner.
We enjoy a little sliced green onion on ours before serving, but that's very optional.
*I do a thing at this point with Sodium Citrate. A tablespoon whisked into the sauce will keep it smooth, creamy, and unbroken. It's a restaurant trick for making cheese sauce that holds in the fridge while staying smooth. I use this on all our cheese sauces unless they are made with American cheese, which already has emulsifiers in it.
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