The Impatient Chef Recipe: Potatoes au Rotten

Sometimes a name just pops into your head, and it won't let go.   And sometimes, even though the name is not at all appetizing, you have to make the dish around it.  This is one such occasion.
In the lead-up to Christmas, I was planning the meal which my family would partake of, and I needed a potato dish.  I had read a news article about the queen of England just a few minutes before, and The Sex Pistols song "God Save the Queen" popped into my head.  Then, it struck:  Potatoes au Rotten, named for the lead singer, Johnny Rotten.  I would make a spiced up version of the regular dish, and give it spiky, red hair with the addition of shredded carrots on the top.  A side dish was born.

The Impatient Chef presents:  Potatoes au Rotten.

Photo Credit: Rex (no last name given)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 large onion, sliced into rings
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Fresh, ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp (or more) Cajun Seasoning (or other zesty mixture)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup buttermilk (or more milk)
• 6 oz shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• 4 oz shredded carrots.
• 1 cup panko

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart casserole dish. 
2. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the buttered casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle the Cajun Seasoning over the top. 
3. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Add about 1/4 cup of the milk.  Stir until incorporated, and then slowly stir in the rest.  Stir in dried mustard powder.  Cook, stirring, until mixture has thickened.  Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds.  Pepper to taste.  
4. Pour cheese over the potatoes, sprinkle the shredded carrot over the top, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake 1 1/4 hours in the preheated oven.  
6. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle panko over the top.  Bake the remaining 15 minutes uncovered.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Serve.