Potatoes Au Gratin

Scott said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the
potatoes before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my
question is should I precook or not?

Precook, or at least blanch them to get rid of some of the
starch.

-sw

Scott said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the
potatoes before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my
question is should I precook or not?

I'm not sure I'd make anything for a pot luck I'd not mastered but
more power to you if you have the nerve.

I agree with Steve at to pre-cook to fork tender. I like to to that
in chicken broth, and add salsa in between the layers. I don't use a
recipe anymore but this one looks even better than what I usually
make. Anyone can make Au Gratin spuds so add your own touch.

From here:

http://www.milk.mb.ca/Recipes/entree-salsa-scalloped-potatoes.asp

1 ½ lbs potatoes (about 4 medium) 750 g
2/3 cup diced peppers (red, green, or both) 150 mL
2 green onions, thinly sliced 2
2 Tbsp butter 30 mL
3 Tbsp flour 45 mL
1 ½ cups milk 375 mL
1 tsp ground cumin - optional 5 mL
1 ½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided 375 mL
¼ cup well-drained salsa (mild or medium) 50 mL
¼ tsp salt to taste 1 mL

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 2 qt (2 L) baking dish and set
aside. Peel and thinly slice potatoes. In a covered casserole,
microwave potatoes on High for 7 minutes, stirring once. Set aside. In
the bottom of the buttered baking dish, layer half each of the
potatoes, peppers and green onions. Repeat the layer and set aside. In
a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add flour, blending well. Add milk and
cumin and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until thickened. Whisk
in 1 cup (250 mL) of the grated cheese until smooth. Stir in salsa.
Pour milk mixture over potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake
for 35 min or until potatoes are tender and the top is bubbly and
golden.

Nutrient Content
Per Serving: Energy: 325.4 Kcal · Carbohydrate: 37.2 g · Protein: 12.6
g · Fat (Total): 14.6 g · Calcium: 314.3 mg

Lou Decruss said:

I agree with Steve at to pre-cook to fork tender. [snips]

No, not to fork tender. Just about 5 minutes. You want them to
retain their sliced shape, not to fall apart into mush. The final
baking finishes the cooking. -aem

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:43:24 -0800 (PST), aem <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Lou Decruss said:

I agree with Steve at to pre-cook to fork tender. [snips]

No, not to fork tender. Just about 5 minutes. You want them to
retain their sliced shape, not to fall apart into mush. The final
baking finishes the cooking. -aem

I know you're not supposed to admit to being wrong on usenet, but
maybe I'm not clear on what "fork tender" actually means. I'm open to
hearing definitions.

Mine retain shape. I slice them thin with a mandoline. 5 minutes
sounds perfect. There is no "mush" when I'm done.

So what exactly is fork tender?

Learning Lou

Lou Decruss said:

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:43:24 -0800 (PST), aem <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Lou Decruss said:

I agree with Steve at to pre-cook to fork tender. [snips]

No, not to fork tender. Just about 5 minutes. You want them to
retain their sliced shape, not to fall apart into mush. The final
baking finishes the cooking. -aem

I know you're not supposed to admit to being wrong on usenet, but
maybe I'm not clear on what "fork tender" actually means. I'm open to
hearing definitions.

Mine retain shape. I slice them thin with a mandoline. 5 minutes
sounds perfect. There is no "mush" when I'm done.

So what exactly is fork tender?

Learning Lou

I'm going for about 5 mins then.

Lou Decruss said:

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:43:24 -0800 (PST), aem <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Nov 20, 11:15 am, Lou Decruss <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I agree with Steve at to pre-cook to fork tender. [snips]

Quoted message said:

No, not to fork tender. Just about 5 minutes. You want them to
retain their sliced shape, not to fall apart into mush. The final
baking finishes the cooking. -aem

I know you're not supposed to admit to being wrong on usenet, but
maybe I'm not clear on what "fork tender" actually means. I'm open to
hearing definitions.

Mine retain shape. I slice them thin with a mandoline. 5 minutes
sounds perfect. There is no "mush" when I'm done.

So what exactly is fork tender?

I guess I took "fork tender" to be softer than you meant. We seem to
agree on the cooking, which is what matters. -aem

Scott said:

I'm going for about 5 mins then.

3.5 minutes at 1/4" thick in 200F water.

-sw

Sqwertz said:

Scott said:

I'm going for about 5 mins then.

3.5 minutes at 1/4" thick in 200F water.

.... and drain well on paper towels.

You don't want water in your gratins. The paper will sock up the
residual starch.

-sw

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the potatoes
before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my question is
should I precook or not?

You don't need to precook, but you do need to slice very thinly if you
don't. I use my big mouth food processor.

Scott <[email hidden]> dropped this
news:[email hidden]: in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the
potatoes before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my
question is should I precook or not?

When in doubt, blanche them.

Michael

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Too much fun! Click the card link and print 'em out.

http://shorterlink.com/?87KN1V

Send email to: michael at lonergan dot us dot com

"Scott" wrote

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the potatoes
before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my question is
should I precook or not?

I guess I;m too late for 'tonight' but if you boil them for about 5 mins
then cool them in cold water, let chill for a bit, then bake, they wont fall
apart as easy on serving.

Julie Bove said:

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the potatoes
before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my question is
should I precook or not?

You don't need to precook, but you do need to slice very thinly if you
don't. I use my big mouth food processor.

Makes quick work out of a mountain of potatoes.

Sometimes I still use a manual food processor. The old fashioned knife.

Lou Decruss said:

Mine retain shape. I slice them thin with a mandoline. 5 minutes
sounds perfect. There is no "mush" when I'm done.

why would you need to precook them if you've sliced them thinly on a
mandoline?

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On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:36:46 GMT, "Julie Bove" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the potatoes
before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my question is
should I precook or not?

You don't need to precook, but you do need to slice very thinly if you
don't. I use my big mouth food processor.

LOL! Finally a female with real cooking experience weighs in. That
has been my experience too. Don't bother precooking the potatoes.
Why do men make cooking so complicated???

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Julie Bove said:

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck
tomorrow. I've been going through various recipes and some say to
cook the potatoes before placing in the casserole dish and others
don't. So my question is should I precook or not?

You don't need to precook, but you do need to slice very thinly if you
don't. I use my big mouth food processor.

I've never pre-cooked the potatoes, either. Sometimes I use my food
processor but even thinly sliced with a chef's knife is fine. I bake mine
at least an hour which is plenty of time for those slices to get tender.

Jill

jmcquown said:

Julie Bove said:

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck
tomorrow. I've been going through various recipes and some say to
cook the potatoes before placing in the casserole dish and others
don't. So my question is should I precook or not?

You don't need to precook, but you do need to slice very thinly if
you don't. I use my big mouth food processor.

I've never pre-cooked the potatoes, either. Sometimes I use my food
processor but even thinly sliced with a chef's knife is fine. I bake
mine at least an hour which is plenty of time for those slices to get
tender.

Jill

Yeah, I've never pre-cooked mine either. After an hour in the sauce,
they're done.

kili

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:36:46 GMT, "Julie Bove" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I use my big mouth food processor.

Ooh! Is this the one you can drop a whole onion into? I really want
that one.

Tara

Sqwertz said:

Scott said:

I'm making Potatoes Au Gratin tonight for an office pot-luck tomorrow.
I've been going through various recipes and some say to cook the
potatoes before placing in the casserole dish and others don't. So my
question is should I precook or not?

Precook, or at least blanch them to get rid of some of the
starch.

-sw

They came out OK. The potatoes weren't as soft as I hope though. What I
did was slice 1/8" thick then cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Then boil a little
over 5 mins then baked at 350 for 1 hr 10 min. I think it's a good idea
to precook if anything to clean and blanch them like you said. Plus they
look nicer since they don't have that 'been sitting out too long' look.
The water looked pretty nasty after boiling. They also didn't taste
cheesy enough so next I'm using sharp cheddar instead of mild.

On Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:30:42 -0500, Tara <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:36:46 GMT, "Julie Bove" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I use my big mouth food processor.

Ooh! Is this the one you can drop a whole onion into? I really want
that one.

You can if your onion is small enough Tara. I usually halve them
though.

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