This fun take on scalloped potatoes is so delicious you’ll want to tell all your friends about it. The potatoes are wonderfully browned on the top, but perfectly tender and creamy on the inside. Combining butter and oil gives the potatoes a nice flavor and also helps prevent them from burning. For best results, use potatoes that are all the same size. Slightly larger potatoes work best, since you can trim them down to the right size. You want the potatoes to brown without burning the butter, so don’t rush and keep the heat controlled. Don’t completely cover up the browned potatoes with cream so you—and your guests—can still see the brown sear.
How to Make It
Peel potatoes; cut off tops and bottoms to make flat ends. Cut potatoes in half crosswise to make 2 (2-inch tall) pieces from each potato. Sprinkle 1 end of potatoes with salt. Heat oil and butter in a large, 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add potatoes, standing them on their salted end. Cook, basting with butter mixture periodically, until well browned, 8 to 9 minutes. Flip potatoes and cook other end, basting periodically, until browned, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to skillet over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Stir in cream, and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Stir in cheese, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to melt before adding more. Return potatoes to skillet, standing them on their end; cover with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and pepper, serve with sauce.