Casserole: Yummy Potatoes

Subject: Yummy Potatoes
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: hartmans at mediaone.net (Kay Hartman)
Date: Mon, 03 Jul 2000 02:18:27 GMT
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While my 4 loaves of bread were failing today, I made some great potatoes. Here's what I did.

I took 4 medium potatoes and cooked them in salted milk until they were al dente. I was thinking I'd use milk instead of water so if the potatoes got watery they'd be milky instead. The milk curdled and did not look appetizing when the potatoes were done but I didn't care since I intended all along to throw away the milk once the potatoes were cooked.

I let the potatoes cool and then peeled them. I like to cook potatoes with the skin on because I think it gives them a stronger potato flavor. Once peeled I sliced the potatoes width-wise 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

At the farmers market yesterday they had morel mushrooms. It was a surprise at this time of year. I snagged about 1/2 pound. I washed the mushrooms and sliced the mushrooms width-wise into 3 or 4 slices a piece.

I took 2 slices of applewood smoked bacon and cut them into a large dice.

I had about 2/3 cup or so of chopped onions in the refrigerator leftover from the steak tacos Jack and I ate for lunch on Friday.

I buttered a baking dish and put a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish. I lightly salted and peppered the potatoes. On top of the potatoes I placed half of the mushrooms and half of the bacon. I intended to sprinkle half of the onions but I forgot.

I added another layer of potatoes, some salt and pepper, the rest of the mushrooms, the rest of the bacon, and all of the onions. I topped the dish with the rest of the potatoes. I salted and peppered the potatoes and sprinkled some fresh thyme to finish the seasoning. I poured a pint of heavy cream over the entire dish.

The dish baked at 375 degrees F for about an hour. I waited until the cream was boiling up and turning brown. I wanted to make sure the bacon was nicely cooked.

The potatoes were delicious. We ate them with some simple pan fried trout. This is trout that Jack caught when he was recently in Oregon. He froze the fish and brought it home.

We drank the remains of a 1999 St. Supery Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc that was given to us by a very good friend. It was a fabulous meal.
From: cryambers at aol.com (Pat Cryambers)
Date: 03 Jul 2000 23:14:21 GMT
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hartmans at mediaone (Kay Hartman) wrote:
>While my 4 loaves of bread were failing today, I made some great
>potatoes. Here's what I did.

Thanks for the idea, Kay! I read this just after getting home from work - first day back after being sick almost 2 weeks. I was really dragging and had no idea what to make for dinner. I didn't have all of the ingredients you used on hand, so I improvised (button mushrooms, Oscar Meyer bacon, and milk). I also used some grated Parmesan on top (*that* was the real good stuff). I sprinkled some oregano on the onions (Vidalia) and cooked them in bacon fat (I partially cooked the bacon I used, then broke it into pieces.)

Anyhow, thanks for the inspiration. Oh, did I need it:-)