Dan Quayle would love these taters

Galatoire's is one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans. I recently ran across a recipe for Galatoire's patented pommes de terre au gratin in a doctor's office copy of Southern Living, and I gave it a whirl tonight. It wasn't quite as good as the "real" thing, but it was still pretty damn good.

Galatoire’s Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients

4 Idaho potatoes, peeled and boiled
2 cups Béchamel Sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup seasoned, dried breadcrumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and white pepper
¼ cup Clarified Butter

Béchamel Sauce

2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the broiler to the low setting.

Coarsely chop the boiled potatoes. Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the potatoes, Béchamel sauce and cheddar cheese and simmer until all of the cheese is melted. Stir until the ingredients are incorporated. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Transfer the potato mixture to a 13x9x2-inch oven-safe baking dish. Smooth out the top of the potatoes to create an even layer. Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes. Drizzle the clarified butter over the breadcrumbs and broil the dish for 8 to 10 minutes until a golden brown crust is formed. Serve immediately.

Béchamel Sauce

This recipe will yield a very thick version of the classic white sauce that serves as a base or additive for numerous French recipes. It is imperative to watch the roux carefully upon adding the flour. It will darken quickly. A blond roux is desired for this dish.

In a medium saucepan heat the milk until simmering. In a separate medium sauté pan melt the butter and slowly incorporate the flour, whisking constantly over low heat to make a blonde roux. Slowly incorporate 1 cup of the heated milk to the roux, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, until mixture becomes paste-like in consistency. Slowly incorporate the remaining milk and whisk until smooth.