Day 201: Garlic Herb Scalloped Potatoes

We have a busy day ahead of us today!  I'm beginning to think life will never slow down.  But at least its never dull, there's something to be said for that.  I found this one at Our Best Bites.  Its a great food blog with some delicious recipes.

Garlic Herb Scalloped Potatoes
12" dutch oven

3 lb. red or Yukon Gold potatoes
1 small yellow onion
8-9 ounces of Garlic Herb creamy cheese like Rondele, Boursin, Alouette (These are available in the gourmet cheese section of the grocery store, but any garlic herb cream cheese will work)
2 c. milk (anything but skim)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley or chives

Wash potatoes and onion and slice into 1/8"-1/4" slices. Toss to combine.

In a 12" dutch oven, melt butter over low heat (I used about 12 coals). Add flour all at once and whisk to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, making a roux. Slowly add in milk and salt. Increase heat to medium (I added about 5 coals) and stir constantly until sauce starts to thicken, around 3-5 minutes. You don't want it too thick, just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add creamy cheese and stir until cheese is melted and combined.  Add potatoes and onions to the pan, sprinkle with pepper, and mix well.  Bake at 400° for 55-60 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. I used 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsley or chives and serve. Serves about 6-8.

The Finished Product

Looks pretty gross, huh?

The Review

I'm really sad this recipe didn't work out as well as I'd hoped.  The picture at the site this came from look delicious, and mine just looks like a mess.  The sauce broke and got all lumpy when it was supposed to be creamy and smooth. Apparently, that means that there wasn't enough flour to bind the fats together so they separate.  I'm going to work with this one a bit because it has the potential to be really good.  The garlic and herb flavor was really light and even though it looked bad, it still tasted good.  I'm going to reserve judgement on this until I can make it work.