WANTED: Potato Galette or Scallop Recipe

BigWader

Made a "Scallop Potato" in a small cast iron fry pan tonight.  Layered potatoes with shaved onion and provolone slices before topping with a bit of parmesan and adding milk to about half the depth of the potatoes.  Cooked at 350-400 for 50 min. 

The taste was okay - needs salt, maybe thyme, a less powerful cheese and the potatoes needed to be softer.  Maybe next time I will foil for 1/2 the cook to steam the potatoes and just uncover for the later part to brown the top. 

Anyway - wondering if anyone has a good recipe to share.  It was tasty enough to try and improve.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I have a good one for you. I'll see if TFJ (my wife) will post it for you. I think I actually posted it a few weeks ago so try the search in the mean time. I'm sure she will do it though, she does awesome scallop potatoes as well

BigWader

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I have a good one for you. I'll see if TFJ (my wife) will post it for you. I think I actually posted it a few weeks ago so try the search in the mean time. I'm sure she will do it though, she does awesome scallop potatoes as well

Thanks - would appreciate it.  Found the sweet potato galette you posted with the meat glued thighs - excellent work by the way! 

I will try a sweet potato version (looks like covering for some of the time is standard method) but would also like your (your wife's) scallop recipe.  My mom's was the "cream of mushroom soup" and bacon slices version.  I'm looking for something more developed.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

BigWader said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I have a good one for you. I'll see if TFJ (my wife) will post it for you. I think I actually posted it a few weeks ago so try the search in the mean time. I'm sure she will do it though, she does awesome scallop potatoes as well

Thanks - would appreciate it.  Found the sweet potato galette you posted with the meat glued thighs - excellent work by the way! 

I will try a sweet potato version (looks like covering for some of the time is standard method) but would also like your (your wife's) scallop recipe.  My mom's was the "cream of mushroom soup" and bacon slices version.  I'm looking for something more developed.

OK- she will post the scallops after we get the kids to school. This is not the cream of mushroom soup, bacon version. It's not hard but it's handmade top to bottom. They are awesome.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Ok- Here is the one we use:

Holiday Scalloped Potatoes

 

From Cooks Illustrated: Published February 1, 2005. 

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

In our experience, most scalloped potatoes recipes take over two hours and still produce unevenly cooked potatoes in a heavy, curdled sauce. To minimize the cooking time while winding up with layers of thinly sliced, tender potatoes, creamy sauce, and a nicely browned, cheesy crust, we didn’t use flour to thicken the sauce but instead relied on heavy cream lightened with a little whole milk. To cut cooking time in our scalloped potatoes recipe, we simmered the potatoes briefly in the cream and then dumped the whole mixture in a baking dish. Russet potatoes, thinly sliced, gave us neat layers with the best texture and flavor. 

SERVES 8 TO 10

For the fastest and most consistent results, slice the potatoes in a food processor.

INGREDIENTS

·         2tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1small onion, minced

·         2medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

·         3cups heavy cream

·         1cup whole milk

·         4sprigs fresh thyme

·         2bay leaves

·         2teaspoons table salt

·         1/2teaspoon ground black pepper

·         4pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

·         1cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.        1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in 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 simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain light simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with some resistance), about 15 minutes.

2.       2. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer potato mixture to 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.

michigan_jason

Bookmarked this for the wife to make. John, do you do them on the egg?

BigWader

@michigan_jason The potatoes I did last night - last nibble before cleaning up you could taste a hint of smoke and it was really complimentary.  I will try this recipe on the egg (except will probably keep the simmer on the stove directly in the cast iron skillet and finish the last 20 min on the egg after laying on the cheese. 

I'm already thinking Sunday night Steak dinner... the perfect accompaniment after the sear.

@The Cen-Tex Smoker- thank-you... that sounds delicious

michigan_jason

Your doin it right my friend, sounds like what I will have as well! Cheers!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

michigan_jason said:

Bookmarked this for the wife to make. John, do you do them on the egg?

no but you sure could. This is hers so she does them in the oven. I'm sure they would be great

michigan_jason

Will make a post and video perhaps.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

BigWader said:

@michigan_jason The potatoes I did last night - last nibble before cleaning up you could taste a hint of smoke and it was really complimentary.  I will try this recipe on the egg (except will probably keep the simmer on the stove directly in the cast iron skillet and finish the last 20 min on the egg after laying on the cheese. 

I'm already thinking Sunday night Steak dinner... the perfect accompaniment after the sear.

@The Cen-Tex Smoker- thank-you... that sounds delicious

wish I could take credit but cooks illustrated is AWESOME. Well worth the web subscription, It's like $50 per year and you get every recipe they have ever done. We use it every week.

michigan_jason

Wow, I will have to tell the wife about it.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

michigan_jason said:

Wow, I will have to tell the wife about it.

It will make you a better cook. Every recipe comes with a "why this recipe works" section so you know al the science behind it. They do stuff like "I cooked 100 lobsters using different methods and here is what worked best". Once the recipe hits their recommended list, it's bulletproof.

nolaegghead

I agree - we've subscribed for years.  Also, they have a cookbook collection that summarizes all the "best practices" through recipes - the entire collection of work in (a whole bunch of) books.

Eggcelsior

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

michigan_jason said:

Wow, I will have to tell the wife about it.

It will make you a better cook. Every recipe comes with a "why this recipe works" section so you know al the science behind it. They do stuff like "I cooked 100 lobsters using different methods and here is what worked best". Once the recipe hits their recommended list, it's bulletproof.

That's why I love ATK! Membership is $30 bucks/year for Cooks Illustrated, ATK, and Cooks Country. The "editors picks" section on Cooks Ill. is an extra $15/year. Christopher Kimball's "Letters from Vermont" are good reads, too.

Skiddymarker

@BigWader, not scalloped but here is an au gratin that works very well on the egg. Super simple and quick. Because there are only two of us, this recipe is sized for two or three. 

The key is to have the tater slices standing up on a slight angle - no idea why, but it works much better than if you just layer them. (I speak metric - wife speaks English)

700 grams (1-1/2 pounds) potatoes (about 4 medium)

40ml Butter (2-1/2 Tbs)

45ml Flour (3Tbs)

400ml milk (1-1/2 to 2 cups)

1 garlic clove crushed

250ml (1 cup) cheese shredded (we use sharp American cheddar or medium Canadian cheddar)

Arrange peeled and sliced potatoes in well greased pan or cast iron skillet like roof tiles, on an angle. 

In saucepan, melt butter, stir in salt and flour, slowly add milk to almost boil. add garlic and cheese. Once melted, pour over potatoes. Sprinkle more cheese and parma on top.

BigWader

@skiddymarker - Thanks - is the cook time the same as above (350 for 45-60 min)?

Skiddymarker

BigWader said:

@skiddymarker - Thanks - is the cook time the same as above (350 for 45-60 min)?

Sorry - Yes, target of 375-400, done in under 45 if using a russet, yukon golds may be a little more. closer to the 60 minute time. Use a tooth pick or whatever you are used to to check for doneness. 

These will stay warm for some time, so if they are done early, take em out and foil to hold the heat - will sit for 30 minutes or more and still be ready to eat (in a CI skillet)

SWMBO likes them a little sloppy, so the 2 cups of milk, if I'm doing them I like them a little firm, so 1-1/2 milk. As you can see no salt or pepper, but easy to add to taste....