Potatoes Au Gratin with Caramelized Onions and Ham

Steps

• 1

  Whisk together the cream, sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• 2

  Add the potatoes to a pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Add 3 teaspoons of salt and cook at medium heat until potatoes are fork tender. Drain the hot water from potatoes, cover with cold water to cool.
• 3

  In a pan, heat the 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the onions and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook at medium/low for 30 minutes or until the onions caramelize. Set aside.
• 4

  Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with canola oil until evenly coated.
• 5

  Drain the potatoes and slice into 1/3 inch thick slices. Combine the cheddar and jack cheese.
• 6

  Add 1/2 cup of the sour cream mix to the bottom of pan, spread out evenly. Add a layer of sliced potatoes to bottom of pan. Add 1/3 of remaining sour cream, 1/2 of the diced ham, 1/2 of the onions and 1/3 of cheese mixture. Repeat another layer of potatoes, sour cream, ham, onions and cheese. Finish the top layer with potatoes, sour cream, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro and 1 teaspoon oregano.
• 7

  Cover loosely with foil paper and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. During the last few minutes, bake under broiler to brown the cheese. Remove from oven and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.