The Forum: Scalloped potatoes complete meal

Published 10:48 am Wednesday, November 26, 2008

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, meaning the refrigerator is stuffed to the hilt with dibs and dabs of this and that — too much to toss, but too little to amount to a whole meal, no matter how hefty a supply you have of leftover turkey, ham, rib roast or whatever.

Now what?

Well, maybe adding just one sturdy but savory rib-sticker to the mix would do the trick.

Happily, then, Neena Blackwell reminds us of a good possibility, saying, “Several years ago, there was a recipe in the Forum for scalloped potatoes from a restaurant up north. It included three kinds of potatoes and three kinds of cheese. It was really good and I made it several times over the years, but now, I can’t find the recipe. Can you help?”

Of course we can.

In case you missed it the first time around or, like Neena, have since misplaced the how-to, here it is again, straight from a Feb. 18, 1998 Forum column:

RENEE’S ON CAMANO SKAGIT POTATOES GRATIN

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup butter, softened, divided

1½ pounds potatoes (1/3 each Yukon gold, yellow Finn and sweet potatoes), peeled, thinly sliced and patted dry

1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, divided

1/3 cup grated Fontina cheese, divided

1/3 cup grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, divided

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided

Cream

Finely minced chives

Rub an 8-by-10-inch ceramic baking dish with the crushed garlic and set aside until dry. Butter dish lightly.

Combine potatoes, tossing to mix. Add potatoes to prepared baking dish, in layers, topping each layer with a sprinkle of each kind of cheese, then a sprinkle of salt, pepper and rosemary, finishing layers with dots of butter.

Add enough cream to come halfway up layered potatoes. Cover dish tightly and bake at 375 to 400 degrees until all of the cream has been absorbed and the potatoes are nicely browned on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chives. Makes 6 servings.

The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Time Out section.