Scalloped Potatoes

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped in and out of potato slice with some resistance), about 10 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves.
3. Transfer mixture to 8-inch square baking dish (or other 1-1⁄2-quart gratin dish), press into an even layer, and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
   TO MAKE AHEAD: Once potatoes have been pressed into an even layer in step 3, refrigerate for up to 1 day. When ready to bake, add cheese, cover with aluminum foil, and bake in 400-degree oven until mixture is hot and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook until cheese begins to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH CHIPOTLE CHILE AND SMOKED CHEDDAR CHEESE
Add 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce along with thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in step 2, and substitute smoked cheddar cheese for cheddar.

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH WILD MUSHROOMS
Add 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick, and 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick, to butter along with onion in step 2; cook until moisture released by mushrooms has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed.