Microwave Au Gratin Potatoes
By Patty Mastracco, guest contributor and food editor of Something Extra
Okay, dinnertime is not my favorite time of the day. After cooking all day it’s so hard to walk in the door (always later than I’d planned) and come up with something tasty and healthy that everyone in my family will eat. The latest potato recipes by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough are my lifesavers! Watch their “How to Microwave Au Gratin Potatoes” demonstration video here or on YouTube:
Microwave Au Gratin Potatoes (Basic Technique)
4 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 cup milk, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded cheese, divided
Step 1
Slice potatoes thinly (approximately 1/8” thick).
Step 2
Pour enough milk into the microwave-safe dish to just cover the bottom.
Step 3
Lay potato slices on bottom of dish, covering bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Top with shredded cheese.
Step 4
Repeat layering of ingredients until all potatoes have been added to the dish. When final layer of potatoes have been added and seasoned, pour remaining milk over ingredients before adding the last of the cheese.
Step 5
Cover and microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes or until potatoes are done. Carefully remove from microwave and serve.
The Fondue-Style Potatoes Au Gratin is so good and even better for you than the traditional dish. Who knew you could make such a great gratin without all the butter and cream? The best part about it is that it cooks so fast. This dish only takes 20 minutes – amazing! I’ve served them with pork chops and beef and they were a huge hit.
Same goes with the Southwest Potato and Chicken Casserole. This one is great because it’s a complete meal. It’s super easy to assemble and I’ve done this in the morning so when I get home, I just have to pop it in the microwave. I did simplify it once using a Mexican spice blend (I really like Tajin and the Morton and Bassett blends.) I was never really a fan of lowfat cheeses but I’ve got a whole new respect for them now. You really don’t even notice any difference. I think I’ll see what I can do with the same recipe giving it an Italian twist – Italian herbs and an Italian cheese blend, maybe some good fresh Parm on top…stay tuned for results!
Looks like my microwave will be doing something other than just reheating my coffee now!
January 18th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I was pleased to run into this technique. I do a lot of food dehydration, buying fresh local-grown veggies in season and putting them away for leaner times. Potato slices happen to be one thing that’s very, very easy to dry and store vac-sealed in canning jars for long periods of time. I also have lots of veggie powders and flakes that I make by dehydrating portions of vegetables one normally would throw away, like the tougher ends of celery, broccoli, or asparagus–which, when powdered in the blender after dehydrating, taste wonderful and are a good source of fiber and extra nutrition.
I love the idea of being able to throw together one-dish casserole meals using my stash! I’ll have to experiment with how much water to add to get them to come out just right–but a video on techniques for using dehydrated foodstuffs in such an easy, versatile way would be most appreciated.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Thanks for this recipe,i am making a cookbook and thought this sounds good to put in my cookbook.Thanks.