Miso Scalloped Potatoes (Potato Au Gratin)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion (thinly sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (low sodium)
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 teaspoon white miso
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2.5 lb russet potato (sliced into 1/8 inch slices)
• 1 3/4 cups gruyere (freshly grated)
• 3/4 cup mozarella cheese (freshly grated)
• fresh thyme (for garnish)
• flaky sea salt (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8x8 inch or 7x11 inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.

2. 2

   Slice the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/8 inch thick slices. Use a mandolin for easy and even slices. Soak the sliced potatoes in a bowl of water in the refrigerator to prevent them from turning brown.

3. 3

   Mix the cheeses together. In a large bowl toss the grated gruyere cheese and mozzarella cheese together until thoroughly combined.

4. 4

   Sauté the onion and garlic. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the sliced onion for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent. Next, sauté the garlic for an additional 1-2 minutes until lightly browned fragrant. Stir in the all-purpose flour until it is evenly combined, about 1 minute.

5. 5

   Simmer the sauce. Gradually pour in the stock, and whisk until combined. Add in the heavy cream, miso, pepper, and whisk until combined. Cook the sauce down until it begins to simmer and thicken. About 1-2 minutes. Do not let the sauce boil. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. 6

   Layer the potatoes. Gently dry the potatoes and spread 1/3 of the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Top evenly with half of the cream sauce. Then sprinkle evenly with 1/3 of the cheese and 1/2 of the thyme. Repeat for the second layer. But for the third layer only top with the heavy cream mixture and do not top with cheese just yet.

7. 7

   Bake the potatoes: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the potatoes in the middle are soft. The sauce should be bubbling around the edges. Then remove the foil, top with the remaining cheese, and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

8. 8

   Cool and serve. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with fresh thyme and some flaky sea salt to finish.