Autumnal Au Gratin Potatoes
This recipe takes the traditional au gratin potatoes and puts a fall flavor twist on it. Sweet potatoes, chicken sausage, kale, mushrooms and sage combine in this delicious, cool weather casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound fully-cooked chicken sausage
- 4 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 8 oz cremini or white button mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper divided
- fresh kale wash and cut into bite-sized pieces to make 3 cups
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 3 medium white russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 tablespoon flour flour
- 1 tablespoon dry sage
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups 2% or whole milk room temperature
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided, room temperature
- 1 cup shredded swiss cheese divided, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add sausage pieces, lightly browning. Remove from pan and set aside, reserving one tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
- Add one tablespoon of butter and the sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are brown (about 5-7 minutes). Sprinkle mushrooms with salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Remove mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add kale to the hot pan and cook, 2-3 minutes, until kale wilts. Remove kale and set aside.
- Peel and thinly slice potatoes.
- Place 1/3 of potatoes in bottom of a 9”x13” pan. Cover with 1/2 of the chicken sausage, 1/2 of the mushrooms and 1/2 of the kale. Repeat layering, ending with a final layer of potatoes.
- Melt remaining butter in the skillet over very low heat. Stir in onions and sauté until tender, 3-4 minutes. Whisk in flour, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, sage, crushed red pepper and nutmeg, stirring constantly until bubbly (1-2 minutes). Slowly stir in milk (1/2 cup at a time) and bring back to a very low boil, whisking constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese (1/2 cup at a time) whisking after each addition until melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over potato/meat/vegetable layers. Use a fork to gently distribute the sauce throughout the potatoes.
- Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Combine bread crumbs, remaining cheese and paprika. Sprinkle on top of casserole and return to oven for 20 minutes, or until top is brown and bubbly.