Au Gratin Potatoes & Sausage

Ingredients

• Russet potatoes
• Smoked sausage
• olive oil to drizzle
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 1 shallot minced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk cold
• 1 cup heavy cream cold
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 6 oz smoked Cheddar cheese block grated
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• Chopped parsley as garnish
• Smoked paprika as garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400*
2. Peel and finely slice the potatoes, using a mandolin to a thin uniform size. Slice the sausage thin.
3. Heat a saucepan over medium high heat
4. Add butter and melt. Once melted, add minced garlic and shallot. Cook for 2 minutes, then add flour and whisk. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Slowly incorporate the milk and cream, ¼ cup at a time, whisking continuously until completely added.
6. Next add the bay leaf and heat until simmering. Whisk often as the sauce cooks.
7. Once simmering, cook for 4 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. stir in the cheese until melted.
8. Pour a ladle full of cream sauce over the bottom of a ceramic baking dish and cover with a layer of the potato slices and sausage slices, overlapping them slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Continue layering until you’ve used all the potatoes. Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes Gently press the potatoes down to help them absorb the liquid.
10. Sprinkle with a little more cheese. Top with bread crumbs and bake for 25 minutes covered with foil.
11. Combine melted butter, breadcrumbs, and minced garlic. Stir with a fork.
12. Remove foil and add breadcrumbs over the top. bake 20-25 more minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and tender when prodded with a sharp knife.
13. Garnish with smoked paprika and chopped parsley. Enjoy!