Deirdre’s note: I am not going to clutter this page with another recipe card for Rocket’s chili. Anyone who has spent time around the Galley since the COVID nonsense knows the drill. Check the basement freezer for two-pound blocks of ground beef. Move a couple to the refrigerator to thaw. Make sure there are yellow onions and green and red peppers in the locker. Brown the beef with the vegetables, add a pre-mixed spice bag from the chili locker, and let Rocket take it from there. If you need the full briefing, it is in Cooking for the Crowd.

Vic gets a little more space today. He has contributed regularly, even if his section of the menu board has looked a little slack lately.

His gratin taters put slices of smoked kielbasa between rounds of russet potato, then cover the whole formation with a creamy, cheatin’ cheese sauce. Set the skillet beside Rocket’s chili and the Ready Room has two solid answers for anyone who arrives hungry on short notice.

Vic’s Gratin Taters with Smoked Kielbasa

Scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin are close relatives. Both begin with thinly sliced potatoes and a creamy sauce; a gratin gets a browned top, often with cheese. Vic proposed adding smoked kielbasa between the potato slices and Velveeta to the sauce. I took his suggestion. It is cheesy, filling and well suited to the 15-inch Lodge.

Prep time: About 20 minutes
Cook time: About 65 minutes, plus any extra time needed for tender potatoes
Serves: A hungry Galley crowd

Ingredients

3 pounds russet potatoes, washed, peeled and thinly sliced
1 ring (about 13 ounces) fully cooked smoked kielbasa, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ yellow onion, finely diced
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups whole milk, at room temperature
8 ounces Velveeta, cubed
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Additional salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat the oven to 375°F. Set out a 15-inch oven-safe Lodge skillet. Recruit two interns or one Boomer to slice the potatoes; a mandoline makes quick work of them, provided everyone uses its hand guard.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Slowly pour in the milk, whisking as you go. Cook for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the Velveeta until melted and smooth, then take the saucepan off the heat.
Arrange the potato slices in overlapping layers in the skillet, tucking kielbasa rounds among them. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top.
Cover the skillet tightly with foil and bake for about 60 minutes. Test the potatoes with a knife; it should pass through easily. If they need more time, cover and return the skillet to the oven.

Remove the foil and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the top is browned and bubbling.

Let the gratin stand for a few minutes. Scatter parsley over the top and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Rocket can keep an eye on the chili. Vic can watch the gratin. The rest of us can set the table before the Alert 15 crowd gets there.

Copyright 2026 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com