Fennel Murphy Au Gratin

Ingredients:
iii lb Russet potatoes, peeled in addition to sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
two 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 pocket-size bulb fennel, sliced into 1/4 inch thick half-moons
1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick half-moons
two cloves garlic, minced
1/3 loving cup flour
two cups whole milk
1 loving cup chicken or vegetable stock
two cups shredded Gruyère
1 loving cup shredded Gouda
salt
freshly dry soil dark pepper
fennel fronds, every bit garnish (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 355. Lightly petroleum an two 1/2 quart baking dish. Set aside.

Place the potatoes inwards a large bowl of cool water. Allow to soak 10-15 minutes. Drain in addition to allow air dry.

Meanwhile, inwards a large saucepan, saute the fennel, garlic, in addition to onion until the onion is soft in addition to translucent. Do non brown. Add the flour in addition to whisk to coat the vegetables. Add the milk in addition to stock in addition to select to a simmer. Stir inwards 1 3/4 loving cup Gruyère, 3/4 loving cup Gouda, tabular array salt in addition to pepper in addition to cook, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.

Arrange one-half of the potatoes inwards the prepared baking dish. Pour one-half of the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Top alongside remaining potatoes. Pour the remaining sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle alongside remaining shredded cheese in addition to fennel fronds.

Bake, uncovered for 1 lx minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender in addition to the dish is browned in addition to bubbly*. Allow sitting 5-10 minutes prior to serving. Refrigerate leftovers.


*This dish is real bubbly in addition to thence yous may desire to describe of piece of job your oven (I role this oven liner or yous could role foil) or house the baking dish on a baking canvass to avoid dripping straight onto the oven.

My thoughts:

I e'er larn asked what is the departure is betwixt au Gratin potatoes in addition to scalloped potatoes. The respond is easy: au Gratin is topped alongside a sprinkle of  cheese (or breadstuff crumbs) in addition to scalloped is not. I practise run across a lot of scalloped murphy recipes alongside cheese inwards them which I holler upwards is a reflection of our country's urge to pose cheese inwards in addition to on everything in addition to everywhere. Now I holler upwards the names are pretty much used interchangeably merely I practise tend to role au Gratin every bit it was originally intended because inwards my mind, scalloped potatoes are quite different.

I've been shopping at Aldi lately because non entirely is it cheap, they accept a lot of European foods  that are tricky (or costly) to discovery else where. I was delighted to run across that they are at 1 time carrying Gruyère in addition to Gouda correct side past times side to the commons shredded cheddar in addition to mozzarella in addition to it wasn't fifty-fifty a exceptional sale. Plus I holler upwards it was entirely virtually $2.50 for 8 oz which is a swell bargain for both cheeses in addition to I didn't accept to shred an unwieldy bicycle of Gouda myself. Score! They are both swell cheeses to role for au Gratin potatoes because they melt wonderfully, they accept distinctive merely non overpowering flavors in addition to they seem a petty fancier than regular erstwhile cheddar. If I am going to become through the hassle of making a cheese sauce in addition to slicing all those potatoes on a Tuesday nighttime I desire it to seem special! It too makes the dish holiday-worthy, I think.

This is a rich, creamy dish, I acknowledge merely I lightened it upwards a chip past times using 1/3 stock for the liquid rather than 100% milk. I holler upwards it adds a chip to a greater extent than flavour to the finished dish in addition to I don't know if I am imagining this merely I never accept problems alongside re-heating the dish the side past times side day; the sauce doesn't dissever at all. I loathe when yous reheat dishes (even from restaurants!) similar this in addition to it gets all oily or clotted looking merely that didn't occur alongside this at all, which is awesome because this recipe makes a ton in addition to yous are saltation to accept unopen to leftovers.