Published November 1, 1999.
For a potato casserole recipe that would showcase the potatoes instead of the dairy and complement, not overwhelm, the other dishes on the table, we used a mix of russet (for denseness and flavor) and Yukon Gold (for succulence) potatoes. We eliminated the cream from our potato casserole recipe but found that some dairy was necessary to bind the layers of potato together. Gouda cheese, in combination with a velouté sauce made from chicken stock, flour, and butter, did the trick.
The potatoes can be quickly sliced in a food processor fitted with a slicing disk. Whole peeled potatoes can be placed in water to prevent discoloring; once sliced, however, do not immerse them, because they will leach the starch necessary for thickening the sauce. The large, coarse grains of kosher salt make sprinkling easy, which is why we use it here instead of table salt. If you can find it, try substituting rich, creamy Italian (not Danish) fontina cheese for the Gouda.
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