Holiday Scalloped Potatoes with Wild Mushrooms
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
½ ounce dried porcini mushroom, cut into pieces2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small onion, minced3 ½ ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick5 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick2 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 ⅛-inch-thick slices1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or Parmesan (about 4 ounces)
Before You Begin
For the fastest and most consistent results, slice the potatoes in a food processor.
Instructions
- Cover porcini pieces with 1/2 cup hot tap water in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lilft mushrooms from liquid with fork and mince, using chef's knife (you should have about 2 tablespoons). Pour soaking liquid through strainer lined with paper towel and reserve.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion, shitakes, and creminis and cook until mushooms release their moisture, about 2 minutes. Add minced, rehydrated porcini along with their liquid and cook until all mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 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.
- 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.
Yield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
½ ounce dried porcini mushroom, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
3 ½ ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
5 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
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 ⅛-inch-thick slices
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or Parmesan (about 4 ounces)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
½ ounce dried porcini mushroom, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
3 ½ ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
5 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
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 ⅛-inch-thick slices
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or Parmesan (about 4 ounces)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
½ ounce dried porcini mushroom, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
3 ½ ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
5 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
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 ⅛-inch-thick slices
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or Parmesan (about 4 ounces)
Test Kitchen Techniques
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.
Before You Begin
For the fastest and most consistent results, slice the potatoes in a food processor.
Instructions
- Cover porcini pieces with 1/2 cup hot tap water in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lilft mushrooms from liquid with fork and mince, using chef's knife (you should have about 2 tablespoons). Pour soaking liquid through strainer lined with paper towel and reserve.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion, shitakes, and creminis and cook until mushooms release their moisture, about 2 minutes. Add minced, rehydrated porcini along with their liquid and cook until all mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 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.
- 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.
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