Lyonnaise Potatoes ~ Great Side for the Holidays!

If you've been searching for the perfect side for your Easter ham or your Holiday roast, your search may be over! This version of Lyonnaise potatoes differs a little bit from the classic French method of preparation. It's based on a long time side dish from a favorite restaurant that's just a few minutes South of us near Saratoga Springs. It's called The Chez Pierre. I don't have their actual recipe, but I've had and enjoyed it so many times at this wonderful restaurant, I was able to come up with a version that I think is a pretty decent copy.

The classic version entails sauteing thickly sliced, par-boiled potatoes in butter, onions and parsley and then putting them in the oven to finish cooking, which is certainly delicious in its own right, but the restaurant's interpretation is a little bit more rich and creamy. So, I went for rich and creamy. (I know... you're shocked, right?) It's made with chicken stock, cream, sauteed onions and garlic and lots of buttery Gruyere cheese. Yup. That's a far cry from being lo-cal, but in my book, it's a freebie because it's a dish that I only make once or twice a year for special occasions. Which is good, because you kinda can't stop eating them. My version saves a little bit of time too, since I don't par-boil the potatoes.

Lyonnaise Potatoes
(Serves 4+)

• 4 Large Russet Potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 Yellow Onions, thinly sliced
• 2-3 Cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3-4 Cups Gruyere Cheese, shredded
• 6-8 Tbls Butter, cut into small cubes or slices
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 Cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prep all of your ingredients.

In the largest, highest sided skillet you have, saute the onions and garlic in two to three tablespoons of butter and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper, until they're softened and lightly golden brown in color. Remove them from the pan to a plate or bowl and set them aside.

(You can use a sturdy metal baking pan if you don't have a skillet that's at least 12 inches in diameter ~ and remember... never use glass or porcelain on the stove top. It will crack and/or shatter from the direct heat)

I used an all stainless pan, but a non-stick should work as well. **If using a non-stick pan, be sure to see the note below regarding simmering time!

In the same skillet, over low heat, melt another two tablespoons of butter and start adding the first layer of potato slices. It's fine if they overlap a bit in spots, but try to use the thinnest slices you can, if that becomes necessary.

Next, layer about a fourth of the onion and garlic mixture over the potatoes, give them another pinch of salt and pepper and follow with a quarter of the Gruyere. Dot each layer with a few small pieces of butter. Continue building layers, until you reach about two or two and a half inches from the top of the skillet, ending with the last cup of the cheese.

Pour the stock and cream over the potatoes and dot the top with the remaining butter and a little more salt and pepper. If there isn't enough liquid to come just halfway up the sides, you can add a little more stock or cream. Turn the heat up slightly until the liquid comes to a simmer. **Allow the potatoes to simmer on top of the stove for approximately 8 to 10 minutes before placing them in the oven.

**Note: This dish gets loads of pins on Pinterest and I've even had the pleasure of a couple of people sharing their "I Tried It" photos and comments. I absolutely love the feedback that I'm getting and in both cases, the consensus has been that they're delicious! But also in both cases, the comments stated that there was a bit of the liquid left in the pan after cooking them for the allotted time. When I make them, this doesn't ever seem to be an issue, so I wracked my brain and decided that there could be a few things causing this to happen.

1) Either my oven runs a bit hotter than most,

2) Using a non-stick pan might slow the reduction of the cream and stock/broth down, or

3) I wasn't clear enough in my directions about how long to let them simmer on top of the stove before putting them in the oven.

I'm thinking it's most likely the latter of the three possibilities, so I've added a simmering time in the directions above. I hope this helps!

Place the pan (uncovered) on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for roughly 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Check at about 45 minutes, if your oven tends to run a little on the hot side. You want a fork or the tip of a paring knife to go into the center with little to no resistance. Remove the pan to a trivet or hot pad and allow it to cool slightly and settle a bit before serving.

Remember... that skillet handle is going to be blazing H-O-T when it comes out of the oven. I usually lay a thick folded kitchen towel or a pot holder over the handle while it's resting, so that I don't absent-mindedly reach for it with my bare hand. I learned that little (and very painful) lesson the hard way, a long time ago. 😬😱😳

Serve these as a side with grilled steak or chicken and just about any kind of roasted meat or poultry. Any leftovers can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Just make sure to place a layer of cling wrap directly on the surface of the potatoes, before putting the lid on. This will help prevent any ice crystals from forming and causing that nasty freezer burn.

Enjoy!

Mary


Don't Forget To Follow Me On Social Media! I Post Blog Updates, Ideas For Kitchen "How To's", Restaurant Recommendations And Reviews And Always Lots Of Photos!

You Can Have New Posts From Go Ahead Take A Bite Delivered Right To Your Inbox! Just Enter Your Email Address Here:


Delivered by FeedBurner
We will never send any advertising or provide your email address to any other blogs or businesses.

Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the "Print Friendly" button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that allows you to remove any pictures (or any text that isn't relevant to the recipe) before printing. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!