Pimiento Cheese Potato Gratin

I have made no secret of my love for pimiento cheese; a cursory search of this blog would indicate the extent of my love. I like it in its purest form, and I like it when it’s used as a burger topping, a salad ingredient, or baked into another dish. This delicious cheesy potato recipe is one that I have adapted from the Lee Brothers’ recipe in their book, The Lee Brothers, Simple Fresh Southern. It is tangy, creamy, and immensely satisfying.

Pimiento Cheese Potato Gratin

Adapted from the Lee Brothers

 2½ t. salt, plus more to taste

1¹⁄₂ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, sliced into ¹⁄_4” thick rounds

³⁄₄ c. heavy cream

3 Melissa’s shallots, minced

¹⁄₄ t. crushed dried red chili flakes

¹⁄₂ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 c. chopped Melissa’s roasted red peppers, with their liquid

8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese shredded 

 Heat the oven to 375°F with racks positioned in the middle and top third of the oven. In a 3- to 4- quart stockpot, bring 2 qts. of water and 2 t. of the salt to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes; drain and set aside.

Combine the cream, shallots, chili flakes, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the jar of roasted peppers in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chili flakes have begun to stain the cream, about 2 minutes. Add half of the cheese and stir until it melts, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

 Layer roughly a third of the potatoes in a 6-cup baking dish, overlapping them slightly so that they fit in an even layer. Scatter half of the roasted peppers on top of the potatoes, and repeating layering potatoes and peppers until all of the potatoes and peppers have been used. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes and peppers and agitate the dish to distribute the liquid throughout. Cover with foil and bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Uncover the dish, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, and place the fish on the top oven rack. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and gently browned on top. Serve immediately.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.