Hasselback Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Smoked Gouda Sauce

Over the weekend, I had plans to make a big Sunday dinner since I hadn’t had very much time in the kitchen during the week. I made my menu and my store list, planning to go buy all the ingredients Saturday night. And then, come Saturday night, Thompson got sick and all plans went out the window. Sunday, as I stayed home and made him pudding and eggs (no joke, that was his request and all he wanted) and watched lots of shows with him, I looked through our bare fridge and tried to think of something I could make for me and Trevor. I had a found a few potatoes and a little bit of cheese, and decided that I couldn’t go too wrong with that combo.

Hasselback potatoes are one of those sneaky tricks that make your dish look so much fancier and elaborate than it really is. They look impressive, but are pretty simple in reality. Trevor calls them a cross between potato chips and baked potatoes, since the outside gets deliciously crisp while the center stays soft and creamy. And, like everything else in this world, they are even more amazing with cheese–specifically, a cheese sauce.

I wanted a sauce that was full of flavor, which is why I decided to use roasted garlic and smoked Gouda. It really does pack a rich and creamy punch, and would probably make anything taste good if it were covered in this. Get the garlic in the oven to roast first, then the potatoes, so you can work on the sauce in the last little bit of the cook time for the potatoes. Then you can “sample” spoonful after spoonful of this stuff until the potatoes are done. Our fridge is still pretty bare and Thompson is still sick, but at least some cheesy goodness has come from this unexpected weekend!

Hasselback Potatoes with Roasted Garlic & Smoked Gouda Sauce

 

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Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• FOR THE POTATOES & ROASTED GARLIC:
• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 10-12 small yukon gold potatoes
• 5-6 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup grated smoked gouda cheese
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Separate garlic cloves, then place on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the cloves to make a little packet so that the cloves are completely covered by the foil. Place in oven and roast about 35-45 minutes, until cloves are soft. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze softened roasted garlic out of skins and roughly chop. Set aside until you make the sauce.
2. While the garlic roasts, work on the potatoes. Wash potatoes well. With a sharp knife, cut potatoes using thin slices, cutting almost all the way through each slice, but leaving a small part on the bottom connected. Try to get the slices about the same thickness, but it doesn't have to be perfect. Place potatoes in a cast iron skillet or medium sized baking dish. Drizzle with some olive oil, about 2-3 tablespoons, so that each potato has a light coating of oil. Remove rosemary and thyme leaves from stems, then finely chop. Sprinkle on top of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in oven and roast about 60 minutes, until potatoes are soft in the center but crispy on the outside.
3. About 10-15 minutes before the potatoes are done, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in milk, and whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Once thickened, reduce heat to low and add cheese, stirring until melted. Add the chopped roasted garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep on a very low heat until potatoes are ready. If sauce gets too thick, add a small amount of milk to thin. Serve potatoes warm topped with the cheese sauce.

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