cheesy hasselback potato gratin
J. Kenji López-Alt
I made this for our Christmas dinner, to try out a new potato side. I would say I liked it, did not love it. It's definitely a good fit for cheese lovers. It had a sharp, cheesy flavor and reminded me of mac and cheese. While it's not a ton of work, it's also not an easy dish. I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble. For reference, my brother's mashed potatoes were just as good as good as this dish, if not better, and took 1/3 the time to make. My mom thinks this would have come out better if we'd had a mandolin so that the potatoes were uniformly sliced.
Anyways, despite my ambivalence, I would say that this is a fun and festive side. It's tasty and attractive, perfect for a holiday meal. It does not change my general disinterest in white potatoes, and I probably won't make it again. But that is more a reflection of my own preferences than anything else. If you're looking for a potato dish to impress a crowd and don't mind putting in some elbow grease, give this a try.