Potatoes Romanoff

potatoesromanoff Potatoes Romanoff is a classic steakhouse side dish. Tender baked potatoes are shredded and folded into rich sour cream and cheese, and baked to perfection. This is the perfect recipe to use up any of those leftover baked potatoes. Some of our favourite mains to serve with it are bacon wrapped filet mignon, pork chops, or roasted spatchcock chicken for a fancy steakhouse meal at home.

3 large russet potatoes, unpeeled (~ 2 lbs)
3 Tbsp. salted butter
¾ cup shallots, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated, divided
1½ cups sour cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

Preheat an oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7). Grease a 1½ qt gratin or casserole dish.

Wrap each potato in tinfoil. Pierce each potato a few times with a fork. Place potatoes on oven rack and bake until tender, about one hour. Remove from oven and remove foil. Let cool to room temperature. Place the potatoes on a plate and wrap each potato in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Remove potatoes from the fridge and grate with the large holes of a box grater, including the skins. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In a small sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and sauté the shallots until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat.

Add the salt, pepper, 2 cups of the cheddar, sautéed shallots and garlic to the potatoes. Gently fold in the sour cream in two additions. Mix with your hands until just evenly combined, trying to keep the shredded texture.

Lightly pile the potato mixture into the prepared casserole dish and evenly top with the remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Make-Ahead: Store in the fridge until ready to bake. Increase bake time to 45 minutes. If the top starts getting too brown, cover with foil.
The recipe states that this will make 6 servings, but at a holiday buffet where there are lots of sides, you could easily get 8-10 servings.
Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. To reheat, cover the leftovers with foil and reheat in a 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) oven until warmed.
If your potatoes are dry when you reheat them, you can add a splash of milk or cream. I also like to add a little fresh shredded cheese on top before baking.