Really Good Potato Casserole

Mirj's Note:

I found this in the New York Daily News, and you know what? It really is a really good potato casserole! Really! Be sure to slice the potatoes thinly (1/8-inch thick) so that they cook properly.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into slices about 1/8 inch thick (about 6 medium)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (in my house that means smashed with a large chef's knife)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup broth (I use a veggie broth)

Directions:

1. Put your rack in the center position and heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
3. Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared dish.
4. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic, salt, optional thyme, cheese and a few grinds of black pepper.
5. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, garlic, salt, thyme, cheddar and pepper two more times.
6. That's three layers for the numerically challenged.
7. Combine the cream and broth in a large measuring cup and pour into the dish along the edges rather than into the center.
8. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the potatoes are tender (you can pierce them with a skewer or paring knife), the liquid is reduced and thickened, and the cheese on top is well browned.
9. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[mary winecoff]

This was great! I didn't want a recipe with a ton of sour cream, cheese, canned soup etc. This had the right amount of cheese and I like the fact that it used broth to cut back on the heaviness that a lot of potato casseroles have. I used fresh thyme and took the advice of another reviewer and made it with only two layers. As the recipe says.....really good!

[bluemoon downunder]

I confess to being a great tamperer with recipes, but tonight I was tired and I just wanted to make something that sounded easy and that I trusted would be good. As a result, except for doubling the garlic, I made this exactly to the recipe, including the slicing of the potatoes (I used some fabulous purple-skinned organic potatoes) very thinly. Easy to prepare and totally delicious. We ate this with meatloaf (from the freezer). Excellent instructions. I used my own vegetable stock and low-fat cream. I'll make this again. Thanks for a great recipe! Next time I think I'll spread the ingredients more thinly (just two layers) over two serving dishes. More yummy browned topping that way!