Ultimate Scalloped potatoes ATK

We’ve all had not-worth-the-calories scalloped potatoes, the kind that take two hours to roast and still emerge unevenly tender, with a sauce that’s more gloppy than creamy. Bridget Lancaster, Julia Davison and the rest of their crew at America’s Test Kitchen know exactly what we’re talking about here. They’ve experienced it, too.
So now they’re sharing a few tricks — and a recipe — for making the ultimate holiday side.
First, Lancaster and Davison say, use russet potatoes and slice them with a food processor for uniform potato slices that are 1/8-inch thick. Any thicker and they’ll slip and slide when you serve them; thinner and you end up with mush.
Second, don’t use flour to thicken the sauce — use a mixture of heavy cream and whole milk, amped up with onions, garlic and fresh thyme. And third, simmer the potato slices in the cream mixture before they see the inside of a baking dish, and you’ll have a gratin that roasts to perfection in 20 minutes flat.

Holiday Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 cup shredded cheddar (about 4 ounces)
Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion and sauté until it turns soft and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain light simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into a potato slice with some resistance), about 15 minutes.
  3. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer potato mixture to a 3-quart gratin dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cream has thickened and is bubbling around sides and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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