Okay. If you’re trying to eat healthily and eliminate fat and calories from your diet, I wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t tell you right now to RUN. Run FAR AWAY from this recipe. It’s almost ridiculous in its blatant disregard for the rules of even remotely healthy eating, I tried to get embarrassed about posting it. But I couldn’t. And the reason I couldn’t is that I wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t share its deliciousness with you; it’s really that good. So I’m conflicted, is what I’m saying. Conflicted, confused, and jiggly.
If I could throw out one of those three attributes, I’d get rid of jiggly. What about you?
This is an elegant potato dish that I make on special occasions, adding different combinations of herbs and seasonings to complement the rest of the meal. I’m posting it under “Holiday Food” today because it’s perfect on your Thanksgiving table for folks who might prefer an alternative to mashed potatoes, OR for Christmas dinner, where the main course is roast beef…or prime rib…or HAMBURGERS, for all I care. Just make sure you have these potatoes on the side.
They’ll make you really jiggly. I’ll let you decide whether that’s a good thing or not.
The Cast of Characters: russet potatoes, onion, cream cheese, heavy cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, herbs, and parmesan cheese. And LOOK! The sun’s coming through the window, which means these photos will be a real challenge. I’ll talk about that soon in PW Photography.
The great thing about this dish is, you can use whatever herbs are seasonal, or whatever herbs the horses haven’t yet eaten from your garden. I decided on parsley, which is kind of a no-brainer for this type of dish; rosemary, which is my favorite herb ever; chives, which pack a flavor punch beyond measure; and SAGE. I’ll use the sage in small quantities since it can really overpower, but I thought it would give a nice Thanksgiving-y flavor to the dish.
And note: I have not intentionally set out to completely turn my back on the green can Parmesan stuff forever. It’s just that I’ve had this huge block of the real stuff in my fridge for months, and I can’t not use it. It would be rude.
Begin by dicing a small white onion really finely. Here. I’ll show you how to do it.
Cut the onion in half from root to tip, then cut each half in half again. Peel off the outer papery layer, then make very small vertical slices across the onion.
Then rotate the onion 90 degrees and slice downward to create a fine dice.
This is a mandoline. I’m going to use it to slice my potatoes, but you don’t really have to have one. You do, however, need a pretty good, sharp knife. We need the potato slices to be really, really thin.
If you do use a mandoline, keep this in mind: it’s the most dangerous kitchen tool there is. They’re as sharp as all get-out, yes…but the downward, back-and-forth motion with which you slice the food lends itself well to one’s hand slipping and hitting the blade square on.
Usually, I’ll wrap a dish towel around my hand and grasp the potato through the towel. That way, if I slip or get too close to the blade, the towel will buy me a little room for error.
But not much. The blade is razor sharp.
Here’s what the potatoes should look like. I’ve done it with a sharp knife before…no problem. It just takes a little more time.
Next, in a large skillet, melt 1 stick butter over medium-low heat.
When it’s melted, throw in the diced onions. Stir around and allow them to cook over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, then slice up the cream cheese and add it to the skillet.
I’m sorry, okay? But I have to be me. And ME likes cream cheese.
Stir around until cream cheese melts into the butter and onions.
The mixture will be pretty dadgum thick.
And that’s where the CREAM comes in!
I’m sorry, but I have to be me.
But look—MILK! It negates all of my sins.
Milk covers a multitude of sins. Sister Agatha Mary Margaret said that to me once.
And I’ve chosen to believe it through the years.
Stir the mixture together, and don’t taste it or you’ll be toast. It is SO good.
Now, add in some salt. And remember: you’re salting not just for the sauce, but for all those potatoes you just sliced. In my experience with this dish, it’s very easy to UNDERsalt it, which is never good. So really salt away, and if you think the sauce tastes adequately salty, salt it some more.
You’ll just have to trust me on this one.
Next, add plenty of finely ground black pepper. If you want to use the black dust in the red and white can, you’ll hear no judgment from me.
Really, there’s not much you could do to warrant judgment from me. I love you. I love her. I love him. I love everyone. And whatever any of you does is fine. Love, Miss Tolerant and Permissive.
Now chop all the herbs pretty finely and add them to the skillet. Here’s the rosemary. There’s probably a teaspoon here.
And here are the chives. Oh, how I love fresh chives. Like, totally.
Here’s the fresh parsley…
And finally, the sage. I used about 1/3 the amount as the other stuff.
Stir the mixture together, then do me one small favor: take a whiff. Take a nice, long whiff.
Then pick yourself up off the floor. I know it’s hard, but you’ll be glad you did.
Turn off the heat, then taste the sauce for seasonings. Remember: you’re saltin’ for two here.
Now, generously butter a baking dish.
Throw in the sliced potatoes.
Then carefully pour the creamy, sinful mixture over the top.
Okay, now I’m really embarrassed.
No, not at the cream. Not at the butter. Not at the cream cheese, either. I’m embarrassed at the quality of the photo. What happened? Did I cough? Hiccup? Convulse? It’s off center, and the light from the window is messing everything up.
It’s WRONG now, it’s just all WRONG now!
But we’ll talk about that in PW Photography.
Finally, just grate some Parmesan and sprinkle it over the top.
Now pop it into the oven and bake it for 45 minutes or so, until it’s really bubbly and hot and…bubbly.
I didn’t get a photo of the finished potatoes inside the pan, because I’m scatterbrained and I plum forgot. I was thinking about thumthin’ elth.
Mmmm. But I did get a photo of it on my plate..up close and personal.
Mmmm. I seriously have no words.
And I don’t need any. My mouth is a little busy right now.
You’ve gotta try these, my darling friends. They’re…um…not to be believed.
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Posted with lots of buttery, creamy, herbalicious love, Ree Drummond.
