Mexican-Style Potatoes Au Gratin with Chiles and Cheese

Nothing wrong with mixing French terms and Mexican taste—especially when the result is scrumptious. “Au gratin” simply means baking a dish with a breadcrumb or breadcrumb and cheese topping. Adding chiles, adobo sauce, scallions, and cheese gives the potatoes that flavorful, aromatic, spicy flair of Latin cooking. A very tasty combination.

Tip: Letting the dish rest before serving allows the bubbly milk-and-cheese mixture time to settle and thicken a bit, giving the potatoes a creamier texture.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided, plus more for buttering dish
• 1/2 cup panko or other fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp adobo sauce
• 2 habanero chiles, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free or 1% milk
• 3/4 cup Mexican shredded cheese blend, such as jack, cheddar, and queso-blanco, divided
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb medium white potatoes, very thinly sliced

White Potatoes 

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat and stir in the panko. Cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Panko and Butter Beginning to Toast

Lightly Toasted Breadcrumbs

1. Combine the scallions, chipotle peppers, serrano chile, and adobo sauce in a small bowl.

Chile, Scallion, and Adobo Mixture

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the habanero. Cook 2 minutes.

Habanero and Butter Beginning to Cook

1. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a light simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 8-9 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Milk Added to Roux

Cheese Sauce for Potatoes

1. Butter an 8 X 8-inch baking dish and place a layer of slightly overlapping potatoes in the bottom. Season lightly with salt. Spoon half the chipotle mixture over the potatoes, dotting in places. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Repeat the layer.
2. Top the dish with a third layer of potatoes and pour the milk mixture over top.

Thinly Sliced Potatoes

First Layer of Potato Slices

Potatoes with Chipotle Mixture and Cheese Layer

Potatoes Au Gratin Ready to Bake

1. Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes, until bubbly and beginning to brown. Remove the dish and sprinkle with the panko mixture. Return to the oven and bake 5-7 minutes longer, until the potatoes are tender and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool 5 minutes before serving. 

Potatoes Ready for Breadcrumb Topping

Potatoes Au Gratin with Topping Added

Let Rest before Serving