I don’t know about you, but eating at steakhouses isn’t my wheelhouse. So when I go, I read every inch of the menu and agonize over just the right choices to maximize my experience! (Then hate it if someone orders something that looks better than mine, lol!)
And while I enjoy the steak, what makes it for me is the au gratin potatoes. My daughter takes after me; when she came back after a special dinner with her sweetie, what Jess raved about wasn’t the steak, it was Ruth’s Chris Potatoes au Gratin.
Making Ruth’s Chris Potatoes au Gratin Copycat:
This is a two-step recipe, stove to oven, and it knocks off a good hour from a standard bake only au gratin potato & gives you the best, creamiest, cheesiest potatoes. In a large pot, cook a bit of onion till softened, then add the garlic, stock, cream, seasonings, and potatoes. Simmer the potatoes until just tender but in no danger of falling apart. Add them along with the cream to a buttered casserole, top with cheese and bake 15 more minutes or so until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
The flavors in this dish are subtle. A little onion, one clove of garlic, salt, and pepper, and the stock which is a variable. If you like a bigger robust flavor, adjust the amount of onion and garlic to your taste. Always taste for the salt and pepper, which you can do before you add the potatoes. You can always add a little seasoning salt, maybe some thyme or maybe whatever you add to your own fave potatoes.
These can be baked in individual dishes (watch the timing) or one larger casserole, which is what I’m guessing most people are going to want to do. I just had to try the individual portions because I just happened to have the same dishes as Ruth Chris!
Note: I updated all the hints and helps on this recipe in December 2019. I think you’ll find it easier to sort through and hope it will answer any questions you might have! It’s super easy but I get that it’s “different!” Part of the recipe was adapted from scalloped potatoes by Cook’s Illustrated.
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter plus additional to butter casserole dish
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cups heavy cream; add a little more if it doesn’t cover potatoes
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds (about 5 to 6 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick (thickness of standard food processor slicing disc)
3 cups total finely shredded cheese: 2 cups Cheddar (8 ounces), and 3/4’s cup (3 ounces) of either Fontina or Provolone along with 1/4 cup (1 ounce) Parmesan, mixed together
about 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Melt the butter, and sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the stock, cream, and potatoes and bring to a good (not a boil) simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the potatoes are nearly tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Gently stir.
Transfer the mixture to a buttered 8 x 8″ or equivalent sized baking dish (or about five to six individual casseroles). Top with the cheese and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 -15 minutes for the casserole (a little less for individual casseroles) or just until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Cool a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Note: Although our family loves this just as is, this is a very creamy dish with cream, potatoes and cheese, and just a little onion, one clove garlic and the bit of chicken stock for additional flavor. It’s fine to taste the sauce before you transfer to the casserole and be sure to adequately season with salt and pepper. If you are a person who prefers a dish that is more highly flavored, feel free to increase the onion and/or garlic to taste.