Delmonico Potatoes

Fourth of July. Daddy grilled. MawMaw Shirley brought the potato salad. The ribs were slow-cooked since dawn because Marcus Robinson believes a rib that has not been on the grill for six hours is not a rib but an insult. He is not wrong. The meat fell off the bone in that way that makes you close your eyes and think about the existence of a loving God or at minimum a loving pitmaster.

The day was hot and loud and full of the particular joy that a summer holiday carries when the family is intact — and intact is a word I use deliberately, because intactness is not guaranteed, not in Scotlandville, not anywhere, and the Robinsons guard it with the vigilance of people who know what they almost lost (Terrence to drinking, DeAndre to violence, the house to water). Jamal was not here but was present through the phone. Brittany is enormous and beautiful and due in November and Mama has knitted approximately seven blankets for a baby who does not yet exist and who will be the most blanketed infant in the history of Houston.

I made watermelon agua fresca again — last year's hit, and the repetition is how a one-time experiment becomes a tradition. Two watermelons this year. Lime, sugar, ice. The glasses empty faster than I can fill them. MawMaw Shirley had two glasses and said, "This is not a real drink," and then had a third glass, which means it is a real drink and she was wrong and she knows she was wrong and the third glass was her way of admitting it without admitting it. This is how MawMaw Shirley operates: the denial is the confession.

After dark, Daddy and I sat on the porch. Just the two of us. The fireworks from downtown were visible over the tree line — small from this distance, but the booms traveled. He said, "Two more years." I said, "Two more years of what?" He said, "Two more years and you'll be applying to medical school." He has been counting. He does not say so, but he has been counting the semesters the way he counts overtime shifts: with attention, with purpose, because each one is a brick in the building that he and Mama are constructing, and the building is their children's futures, and the counting is how he participates in a process he cannot otherwise control.

MawMaw Shirley’s potato salad is untouchable — I would never try to replicate it, and honestly I’m not sure I’d survive the consequences if I did. But sitting on that porch after dark, still full and happy, I kept thinking about how a great potato dish is its own kind of love language at a family cookout. Delmonico Potatoes are everything I want in a side that holds its own next to slow-cooked ribs: rich, creamy, golden on top, and impossible to resist. Consider this my contribution to the table — one she might even approve of, third-glass style.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, warmed
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Boil the potatoes. Place cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 8–10 minutes, until just fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain well and set aside.
Make the cream sauce. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until the mixture turns lightly golden. Gradually whisk in the warmed milk and heavy cream, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5–7 minutes.
Add the cheese. Reduce heat to low. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and all of the Parmesan until fully melted and smooth. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Combine. Gently fold the drained potatoes into the cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Top and bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
Rest and serve. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives and serve hot alongside grilled meats or your cookout spread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Delmonico Potatoes — MawMaw Shirley’s Side of the Table