CREAMY AU GRATIN POTATOES
Makes 8 to 10 servings
If you love potatoes as I do, then you are going to love this French-inspired casserole. It’s rich, creamy and comforting. Thinly sliced potatoes are layered with cheese and cream before they are cooked until tender by the radiant heat inside the Big Green EGG. This cheesy gratin will quickly become a dinnertime staple the whole family will enjoy.
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, plus more for skillet
1½ cups (355 ml) heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
2½ lb (1.1 kg) russet potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼” (6-mm) slices
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups (283 g) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3 tbsp (7 g) thinly sliced scallion
Butter a 12-inch (30-cm) cast-iron skillet, then set aside.
Set up the EGG for 350°F (180°C), indirect without a drip pan. Fill your firebox with natural lump charcoal and with the top and bottom vents wide open, light the fire and close the EGG. After about 10 minutes, close the bottom draft screen. When the temperature nears your 350°F (180°C) target temperature, partially close the bottom vent door and the top of the daisy wheel, leaving both vents 30 percent open. Make minor adjustments as necessary.
In a small saucepan, heat the butter, cream and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the cream is warmed through.
Lay one-third of the potatoes in the bottom of the skillet so they are slightly overlapping. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Then pour one-third of the cream mixture over the potatoes, and sprinkle them with one-third of the shredded cheese and one-third of the scallion. Repeat the process for the second and third layers, ending with the final portion of scallion but reserving the last portion of cheese for the next step.
Once the EGG is up to temperature, cover the pan with foil and place it on the cooking grate. Close the lid and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 75 minutes. Remove the foil from the pan and top the potatoes with the remaining cheese. Close the lid and continue to cook until the casserole is golden brown and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the grill and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.