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Delmonico Potatoes

Diced potatoes simmered in cream, topped with Parmesan and baked until golden. The St. Francis version of a Delmonico’s favorite.

⏱ 1 hr 5 min (15 min prep, 50 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 6 · about ⅔ cup make ahead vegetariangluten free
📅 Add to my plan

ContainsMilk. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 6 servings
  • 2 lb Russet potatoes, peeled
  • 1½ cup Half-and-half, or 1 cup cream and ½ cup milk
  • 1 tbsp Butter, unsalted, plus more for the dish
  • ½ tsp Table salt
  • ⅛ tsp Ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 pinch Ground nutmeg (to taste)
  • ½ cup Grated Parmesan, grated

Make it yourself

Make the butter yourself →

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

📜 Where it comes from

Victor Hirtzler (1875–1931), chef, the Hotel St. Francis, San Francisco.

The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book (Chicago: The Hotel Monthly Press, 1919), menu for November 4: “Delmonico Potatoes”.

“Put hashed in cream potatoes in a buttered shirred egg dish, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, and bake in oven until brown.”

The original text, quoted as printed; it is in the public domain.

The name points back to Delmonico’s in New York, though recipes under this name vary a great deal. This one is from Hirtzler’s 1919 book, printed with his Celery Victor.

What we changed: Hirtzler assumed the cook knew “hashed in cream” potatoes; we spell out that step.

Hirtzler cooked decades before Michelin rated any American restaurant (its first U.S. guide came in 2005).

Internet Archive scanProject Gutenberg textMore from the great kitchens →

Steps

You’ll need: saucepan, 2-quart shallow baking dish, large skillet.

  1. Boil the whole potatoes in salted water until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, cool until you can handle them, and cut into ¼-inch dice.
  2. Heat the oven to 400°F and butter the baking dish.
  3. Simmer the half-and-half with the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg in the skillet. Add the potatoes and simmer, stirring gently, until the cream thickens and coats them, 5 to 8 minutes. (This is “hashed in cream” potatoes.)
  4. Spread in the dish, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

🌡 Safe temperaturesLeftovers, reheated 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadBoil and dice the potatoes up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
↺ LeftoversRefrigerate within 2 hours; keeps 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F.
🧒 With kidsKids can sprinkle the cheese.

Good to know

Heavy cream vs. half-and-half Cooking Fats Compared Salted vs. unsalted butter Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Food Safety Basics

Our own adaptation of a public-domain recipe, in our own words. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.