Smooth and creamy, with a bit of crunch from the topping, these potatoes are everything you could want in a side dish. Heck they could even be the star of the show! And, this is why they’ve been a hit in Connecticut for decades.
At the Lighthouse Inn in New London, the scenic view of the famed lighthouse wasn’t the only thing they were known for. These delectable Lighthouse Inn Potatoes combine the best of potatoes au gratin, stewed potatoes, and breadcrumb potatoes into one dish. There’s a curveball ingredient, but otherwise this recipe is pretty straightforward and well worth the time it takes to prepare.
The recipe was created by chef Leon “Wally” Walden who worked at the inn for nearly 50 years. The famed hilltop inn appears to be open for dining only after renovations were knocked back by a fire in 2022. But, locals and those in the know have been enjoying this signature dish ever since it was first created and the recipe has survived long periods of the inn being completely closed. It’s that good!
We’re starting out with some light cream for the sauce. While you can switch up the flavorings of this dish, the light cream is a must. Substitutions can cause the sauce to break.
The magic ingredient that goes into the light cream is some baking soda. This agent creates a different texture in the sauce, one that is almost fluffy. When you bring the mixture to a boil it will foam up and that’s your cue to turn the heat down to medium-low for the remainder of the stovetop cook time.
Baking soda also helps keep the sauce from breaking as it counters acidity, and there is just a little acidity to potatoes that can affect the sauce.
After that it goes into a large baking dish and gets a heap of tasty toppings. The original had regular breadcrumbs, but I’m using Italian herbed breadcrumbs- they are my go-to. I find it’s just an incredibly easy way to add a bit more flavor to most recipes. With that also is some grated parmesan cheese. This combo gives an amazing, crispy top to the potatoes that’s got serious wow factor.
You might expect that this volume of potatoes could fit into a smaller baking dish and you’re right. After all it’s only about 3 large potatoes. But, you want to stick with the 9”x13” pan so that the crispy topping covers as much of the creamy potatoes as possible.
You cannot go wrong with these potatoes at any type of gathering. This is a dish where you can pretty much guarantee that there won’t be any leftovers at all. Wally knew what he was doing when he created this dish!
Lighthouse Inn Potatoes
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups light cream, divided
- 2 1/2 lbs Russet potatoes (about 3 potatoes), peeled and cubed
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Preparation
- Add 2 ½ cups light cream to saucepan. Add potatoes, baking soda, 2 teaspoons salt, and the black pepper. Heat to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once bubbling reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally. Potatoes should be almost fork tender by this point.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Stir remaining cream, pepper, and 6 tablespoons (cubed) butter into potatoes. Stir until butter is melted. Pour potatoes and sauce into a greased 9”x13” baking pan.
- In small bowl combine remaining salt, cheese, breadcrumbs, 4 tablespoons melted butter. Spread this on top of potatoes. Bake for 15-20 minutes on center rack. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from A Family Feast.