This is a very easy recipe my Aunt Mildred used to make. She served it with a slotted spoon as a side potato dish on a plate. I always loved to put it in a bowl, where to me it belonged as a soup. This recipe comes from the time of the depression. There was not much money for lavish ingredients so they would gather up what they did have and try to make the most of it. As a child at my Aunts house I only cared that this was really good. Crackers or french bread and butter served on the side will add to the flavors in your mouth and make  it a satisfying meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
(For amounts see below the photos)

Potatoes
Onions
Water
Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start by peeling the potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many potatoes to use? One per person and one for the pot is what my Aunt always used to say. I can also still hear my great-grandmother telling anyone peeling the potatoes to make sure to get the eyes. I always cut up more potatoes than that. It really depends on my mood and how hungry everyone is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice them up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next comes the onion. One per pot unless you are making a huge batch according to my Aunt. I go with one or two again depending on my mood and who is eating. I have members of my family who will say “oh mom why so many onions!” I really love onions so I want to put as many in there as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You want to make slices like this because you want to see the onions as you are eating this. This makes certain members of my household happy because they can pick them out if they want.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the potatoes to a pot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the onions and cover with water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season with salt and pepper. Cook until done

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite way of serving this is as a soup. My aunt would use a slotted spoon to serve these potatoes on the side. I think the potatoes are too bland that way. You could use an immersion blender and add heavy cream to make it a cream of potato and onion soup. There are many variations I am sure you can think of. I like to eat it just as my Aunt would make it as it brings back childhood memories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yum! Crackers or french bread with butter really add something when you are eating this treat. Are you hungry yet?

 

This is one way to handle leftover potato slices from Gratin Dauphinois

Ingredients:

Potatoes

Oil for frying (peanut is good)

 

 

Steps:

 

Set deep fryer to 320 degrees

Most important part in frying homemade chips is to use a mandolin. Slice as many potatoes as you want

Thoroughly rinse excess starch from the potato slices

Pat the slices dry before frying

Cook until golden brown

Drain

Season each batch as they come out of the fryer and enjoy!

 

Now go check out Gratin Dauphinois at

http://www.hauntedchef.com/2011/09/02/gratin-dauphinois/

Classic recipe

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, mashed
2 oz butter
2 lb potatoes
5 oz Gruyère cheese (or any cheese)
1 pint heavy cream * can cut calories by using milk
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

 

Steps:

Melt the butter and preheat your oven to 350F.

Rub the sides of the baking dish with the garlic and then butter the bottom of the dish.

Peel the potatoes

Slice them using a mandolin.

You will get a pile of thin slices in no time. It is also a great upper arm workout!

Evenly arrange the potatoes in the buttered dish in one layer of overlapping slices until you have only one layer. Drizzle with melted butter, milk or heavy cream and season. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can layer with herbs and cheese as well

Bake until the potatoes have turned a golden brown approx 1 hour

YUM! See the next post on what to do with the leftover slices of potato. Go see Potato Chips

http://www.hauntedchef.com/2011/09/02/potato-chips/