Cheesy Scallop Potatoes

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Cheesy Scallop Potatoes

Flavored with plenty of onion and garlic, and topped with lots of Gruyere cheese, these scallop potatoes are anything, but ordinary.

Ingredients

            Serves 6 to 8

	¼	cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
	1	small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
	8	cloves garlic, peeled and minced
	2	large sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
		Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
	1½	cups heavy cream
	1	cup milk
	1	tablespoon wholegrain mustard
	⅛	teaspoon ground nutmeg
	6	medium (2½ to 3 pounds) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
	2	cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Butter a 2½-quart baking dish and set aside.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan set over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and thyme leaves and cook until the garlic has softened, about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Set aside to cool.

2.    In a large measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, and mustard.  Season the mixture with nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.  Pour enough of the cream mixture into the prepared baking dish to coat the bottom of the dish.  Arrange one-third of the sliced potatoes, overlapping slightly, in the dish.  Season the potatoes with salt and black pepper and spoon over half of the onion mixture.  Sprinkle the potatoes with one-third of the cheese and pour over some of the cream mixture.  Repeat this layering, and then top with a final layer of potatoes, cheese, and cream.

3.    Dot the top of the potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.  Cover the dish with a sheet of parchment paper and a sheet of aluminum foil.  Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender, about 90 minutes.  Then, remove the foil and parchment paper and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes more.  Remove and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.