Scalloped Potatoes

This recipe is basically the same as potatoes béchamel;which if you happen to have the sauce prepared in advance; as is generally the case in (not "Mom and Pop,"Home Cooking" holes in the wall) commercial kitchens, is a lot easier to prepare.
.6 medium-sized potatoes 
4 Tbsps. butter

Salt and pepper    

          Milk

2 Tbsps. flour

Pare raw potatoes and cut them into thin slices using a mandolin or by hand. Place in a casserole (although not nearly as presentable, it is permissible, to use an ordinary ceramic, glass or even stainless steel baking dish; or, as is often done in a commercial kitchen, a steam table insert. Just use foil as a cover during the braising steaming stage, before browning and while raw potatoes do render a slightly tastier, more satisfactory product; they are not compulsory; so like Au Gratin potatoes, this recipe may be used to use up left overs; something that many cooks who prefer you to think they have gone to a great deal of work, don't want you to know) a layer of the potato one inch deep, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle a portion of the flour over each layer, add a part of the butter in bits. Repeat and continue until required amount is used. It is best not to have more than two or three layers because of difficulty in cooking. Add milk until it can be seen between the slices of potato, cover and bake (350-400 F.) until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (1-1 ½ hours). Remove the cover during the last fifteen minutes to brown the top. Serve from casserole.

Note: Although not classically correct to do so, it is my personal preference to also include diced onion in this recipe. Added Note; The potatoes used in any Scalloped recipe do not necessarily have to be cubed, diced, sliced, or otherwise shaped; any leftover cooked potatoes will surface. Consequently Scalloped and/or Au Gratin potatoes (which are similar but usually contain cheese or bread crumbs) are a very convenient, and tasty, way for the home cook to use up left over cooked potatoes; in a commercial kitchen such dishes are also very profitable.        ©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan 1994-2013. All rights reserved.

Au Gratin Potatoes

2 cups diced cold cooked potatoes    

1 ½ cups medium Veloute or Béchamel Sauce

            Salt and pepper

1 tsp. minced parsley     

2 to 4 Tbsps. grated cheese

1 cup buttered crumbs

            Combine potatoes, parsley, and sauce. Turn into a greased casserole, sprinkle with cheese, cover with buttered crumbs and bake in a hot oven (400 F.) until crumbs are brown. Serves 6 Added Note; The potatoes used in any Au Gratin recipe do not necessarily have to be cubed, diced, sliced, or otherwise shaped; any leftover cooked potatoes will surface. Consequently Au Gratin and/or Scalloped potatoes (which are similar but do not contain cheese or bread crumbs) are a very convenient, and tasty, way for the home cook to use up left over cooked potatoes; in a commercial kitchen such dishes are also very profitable.

Potatoes, Boiled Varieties

            Note properly prepared potatoes used in these recipes must be of a very precise size and shape.The common or popular variations from the classic boiled potatoes are:

·        Parsley

·        Chives

·        Garlic

·        In fact most varieties of herbs or spices may be added, or even the like of diced olives, sun dried tomatoes etc.

Cocotte Potatoes

Contrary to what you will find posted on other websites, Cocotte Potatoes are definitely NOT mashed or puréed like Croquette Potatoes and they are not necessesarily Au Gratin or Scalloped

Meanings of French word co·cotte  (kô-kôt)-as usual, there is a problem with United States of the Americas translations

In cookery:

1.       A smaller size of the classic, barrel shaped,  hand turned, potato (see Classic Potato Shapes).

2.       A small covered fireproof dish) in which individual portions of food are cooked and served; the larger size of which is usually called a casserole.[Cooking En- Casserole}

3.       Outside of cookery, the term is also used to describe a woman prostitute[From French nursery word for hen, feminine of coq cock chicken

COCOTTE POTATO RECIPE
·        Peel, then block and turn potatoes into a barrel shape 1 ¼ inches by ¾ inches

·         Treat as for château potatoes reducing the time as they are a smaller size.

Classical Potato Shapes

For Shaped Potato Dishes.
Note: There are no olive shapes here.
All recipes requiring"Shaped"potatoes and that includes the deep fry potato shapes are very labour intensive. They are seldom seen in North America--at least not properly prepared.

  

        Fondant 

                 Château  

                                Boiled

Other well known shapes include:  Natural, Castello, Cocotte, Olivette, and Mascotte (see individual recipes, for details). As you see, measurements are in the "NEW"(USA) decimal metric system which is supposedly easier to figure, older more experienced (Canadian or even European) cooks will probably wish to convert back to the traditional fractions of an inch-- and while it will change the sizes somewhat, it should not be too much trouble. Secondly, of course, since Costello and Mascotte potatoes are claimed to be of Italian, not French origin, no one is quite sure how they are properly prepared; so you will not find any actual recipes for the two shapes or rather sizes.

The Fondant Potato has a diameter of 1.6 inches and a length of 3.2 inches.

The Natural Potato has a diameter of 1.2 inches and a length of 1.8 inches.

The Castello Potato has a diameter of 1.2 inches and a length of 2.4 inches.

The Cocotte Potato has a diameter of 1 inch and a length of 2.4 inches.

The Olivette Potato has a diameter of 0.8 inch and a length of 1.2 inches.

The Mascotte Potato has a diameter of 0.8 inch and a length of 3.2 inches.

As can be readily seen in the above illustrations, these shapes are all barrel shaped and vary primarily only in size. While admittedly, it has become common practice, (some sources claiming that there must be seven distinct such marks) and they are so shown here; for illustrative purposes only, knife marks really should not appear on any of the finished products; they are after all described as "HAND TURNED"    

Byron Potatoes-Baked Variation

Byron Potatoes

·        As for Macaire, but when fried make a small indentation in center and place a small amount of lightly whipped cream in depression.

·        Sprinkle with grated cheese and glaze under the salamander or broiler.

Potatoes Suzette-Baked Variation

Potatoes Suzette

Prepare as for potatoes on the half shell. Refill the shell almost to the top, break an egg into each opening, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs that have been mixed with grated cheese and bake in a slow oven (250 F.) long enough to set the egg and brown lightly.