Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

• 2 cups whipping cream or milk (for lighter version)

• 6 crushed garlic cloves

• 6 peppercorns

• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 2 large Spanish or yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 3 large Yukon Gold or Russett potatoes (2 to 3 pounds), peeled

• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

• 2 large sprigs fresh thyme

Preparation

1. In saucepan, bring cream, gar­lic, pep­per­corns, thyme, and salt to just under boil; reduce heat to low, cover and sim­mer for 15 min­utes. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. Heat your oven to 300° F.

3. Mean­while, in skil­let, heat oil over medium-low heat and cook onion, stir­ring often, until light brown, about 45 min­utes. Slice pota­toes as thinly as pos­si­ble (using a man­do­line if avail­able).

4. Layer 1/4 of the pota­toes in greased about 8 x 12-inch glass bak­ing or casse­role dish; top with 1/3 of the onion and 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat twice. Top with remain­ing pota­toes. Strain cream mix­ture over pota­toes, shak­ing casse­role to dis­trib­ute evenly. Sprin­kle with remain­ing cheese.

5. Bake in 300° F oven on a baking sheet (to catch drips) until ten­der and a knife inserted into the dish pierces pota­toes eas­ily, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Let cool, then cover and refrig­er­ate for up to 2 days. Reheat, tented with tin foil, in 375° F oven for 30 minutes.)

Tip: For a lighter ver­sion, steep gar­lic, pep­per­corns, thyme, and salt in 2 cups of milk. Then make béchamel sauce: In saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons but­ter over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook, stir­ring, for 1 minute. Whisk in strained milk mix­ture, and sim­mer everything for 5 min­utes until slightly thickened. Pour over pota­toes.

Adapted from Food52 Recipe

Urban Cowgill 2016 (updated 2024)