A warm, delicious treat for any time of the year but especially fantastic for those cold winter days!

Before You Start

Since potatoes are the star of this dish, you want to make sure they're performing the way you and your guests want. I tend to go with a blend of starchy and waxy spuds, about half-and-half, to deliver that texture that I find appealing. Waxy 'taters will give you more chew, while starchy will come out softer, more pillowy. A mix of Yukon golds and Russets works best for me. Also, whether you're leaving the skins on the spuds or not, be sure to scrub them thoroughly with cold water.

Next up, you can't have scalloped potatoes, or potatoes au gratin, without a hearty cheese in the mix. Most recipes tend to use a sharp yellow cheese, like Wisconsin cheddar, but I find yellow cheddar to be too salty for this setup. A good rule, in my world, is to either use a single, flavorful cheese like Mimolette, or blend a mild and elastic pair like colby and low-moisture mozzarella, or cotija and jack.

Last, but not least, is the vessel in which your flavor comes together. I prefer to use a 12-inch cast iron skillet as it cooks more evenly, allows the cheese and potatoes next to the walls to crisp up beautifully, texture on top of texture. Casserole dishes work just fine, ceramic or glass, I just prefer the cast iron.

Everything in Place

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Thinly slice the potatoes, with or without skin. Place the slices in a bowl of water to rinse off any excess starch.

Cut the scallions and bacon into 1-inch pieces. Shred the cheese on the fine side of a box grater, or use a medium plane, into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, herbs, and spices.

Pulling it Together

Drain the potato slices and pat dry with either a clean towel or paper towels. Coat the inside of your vessel of choice with butter. Put down a layer of potatoes, top with a few scallions and bacon pieces, and sprinkle a layer of the shredded cheese. Pour over the herb cream mixture to just coat the potatoes. Repeat this process until all ingredients have been used; this should give you about three or four layers.

Place the skillet in the oven on the middle rack and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through, provide little resistance when poked with a knife or fork, and the top of the dish has golden brown spots from the cheese and cream.

Once removed from the oven, allow five to ten minutes to cool before serving. Enjoy!

Pairing and Storage

Pairs well with:

• Roasted meats or sausages
• Bitter greens dressed in vinaigrette
• Mushroom or lentil mains (as a sidekick)

Stores up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat uncovered at 350°F until hot and bubbly. Do not freeze as cream-based sauces will break. Do not microwave as it will make the dish chewy.