Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin

The kitchen is in full fall mode. The oven at 375 (always 375), the crockpot on the counter, the pantry stocked with jars from last August's canning — the evidence of a woman who preserves summer against winter and loss against forgetting and food against everything.

I made beef stew with wine this week — the fall version, the one that fills the kitchen with the smell that means this time of year, this stage of life, this specific Tuesday when the stove is warm and the family is fed and the feeding is the point. Kevin ate seconds. The man always eats seconds. The eating is the approval and the approval is the marriage.

The garden winding down. Corn stalks brown and leaning. Last peppers picked before frost. Jack's garlic going in — the patience crop, planted now for next July. Nine months underground. The faith that the future needs what the present plants.

The beef stew takes care of itself, but on the nights when I want something that feels just as grounding without the long simmer, this ham and potatoes au gratin is what comes off the shelf next — another dish that fills the kitchen with smell, another thing Kevin eats seconds of, another quiet proof that the feeding is working. It’s the kind of recipe that belongs in a fall kitchen, stacked next to the canned jars and the crockpot and everything else that says someone in this house is paying attention.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/8 inch)
2 cups cooked ham, diced or cubed
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns lightly golden. Gradually pour in the warm milk and heavy cream, whisking continuously until smooth and beginning to thicken, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the cheese. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar, the garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
Layer the casserole. Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Scatter half the onion slices and half the diced ham over the potatoes. Pour half the cheese sauce evenly over the top. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes, onion, and ham, then pour the rest of the cheese sauce over everything.
Top and bake covered. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar over the top. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Finish uncovered. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly and the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin — The Dish That Says the Kitchen Is Still Running