This potato casserole is without a doubt the best I've ever eaten. It is rich and creamy without all the calories using chicken broth thickened with a beurre manie. The smoked gouda adds great smoked flavor without using bacon!
Serves 8
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1:30 minutes
Ingredients
8 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 medium bay leaf
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 pounds russet potato, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add garlic, cook one minute. Whisk in flour and cook until golden and bubbly, about 30 seconds. Whisking constantly, gradually add chicken stock. Increase heat to high and add bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens about 2 minutes. Off heat, remove and discard bay leaf. Cover and keep sauce warm.
Alternating Yukon and russet arrange a third of potatoes in overlapping rows. Sprinkle potato layer evenly with thyme, salt and pepper and a third of cheese mixture. Repeat with second and third layer. However do not add last layer of cheese until the end of cooking. Pour warm sauce over potatoes, tilting pan side to side to distribute evenly. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake about 5 more minutes until cheese is golden brown. Cool about 10 minutes and serve.
Terri’s Tips:
Make this recipe your own by changing to your favorite cheese like smoked cheddar, Swiss or pepper jack
Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before serving