I grew up in a quirky place, it’s of a particularly high altitude, it was once a booming train stop across the great plains, and it has a high demographic of LDS (Latter Day Saints). Yes, I grew up in Ogden, UT. If you know or have any LDS kinfolk, you will recognize the subject of this post quite well. “Funeral potatoes” are often served potluck style…at well, funerals, usually afterwards in the Stake center with the ward members of the loved one’s life that is being honored. Served with ham, salad, and those sweet, yeasty, homemade dinner roles, and if you’re lucky.. Jell0! This meal is one of my childhood, nostalgia favorites. Not all funeral potatoes are created equal, and it is always interesting to taste the variations, today I will give you mine, and feel free to eat these whenever you feel inclined, Easter, Wednesday, Christmas. I took out all the “cream of ….” soups and made a Mornay (Cheese Bechamel) sauce, par boiled, peeled, and shredded Yukon gold potatoes, and added a few more tricks. So next time you need to bring a side dish or want a delicious casserole, test out this version and let me know what you think.
You will need:
4-6 Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 Tbsp All-purpose flour
4 Tbsp butter
1.5 Cups shredded medium cheddar cheese, I used Tillamook.
.5 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated.
.25 Cup dry white wine or water.
2 Cups Milk
1 medium onion, sliced.
3 cloves garlic, chopped.
1 Tbsp cooking oil, I used peanut
2 dashes Cayenne pepper sauce, I used Frank’s.
4 0z. thinly sliced, Porchetta, if you can’t get Porchetta use thin country ham, or prosuitto, tear into bite sized pieces.
1/2 Cup Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare your potatoes by places in pan, skin on, cover with water, bring to boil, boil for 12 minutes. Let them sit on the stove while you begin browning onion, and garlic in the cooking oil over medium heat, reduce to low and continue to caramelize for 20 minutes, add butter, cook till butter is lightly nutty and brown, add flour, cook five minutes, frequently stirring.
Add wine or water, turn heat up to medium high, stir until thickened. Add milk, let bubble, add cheddar cheese, half the Parmesan and whisk well, reduce heat to low. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prep potatoes by draining, peeling and shredding. Add porchetta or ham, stir well, check for salt levels, add a bit and some pepper. Add pepper sauce, and potatoes, stir until all potatoes are well covered with cheese sauce. Turn off heat. Melt other half of the butter, add parsley, and panko, combine. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan and breadcrumb mixture over the top and bake 20 minutes. Enjoy!
