Two Potato Recipes That Are Great For Banquets

Serving a buffet-style catered meal in a banquet hall takes some careful planning. You need recipes that stand up well while sitting in chafing dishes and that also appeal to a wide array of tastes. Potatoes are a great choice of side dish, but the standard choices like mashed potatoes and salt potatoes in butter are a bit mundane. Here are two more unique potato dishes that will do a better job of satisfying guests' taste buds.

Creamy Potatoes With Sausage

This hearty potato dish pairs well with chicken or pork chops. The cream sauce keeps the potatoes form drying out in the warming pan -- and it makes them super tasty, too. This recipe makes about 30 servings and is easy to double or triple if needed.

Ingredients:

• 10 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 pounds bulk Italian sausage, browned and drained

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until the mixture becomes golden brown. Slowly pour in the milk and cream, whisking constantly. Add the pepper, salt, onion powder, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cheddar cheese until it is fully melted.

Add the sausage and potatoes to the creamy sauce, and transfer the entire mixture to a large baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F. Transfer to a warming dish, and serve.

Mustard and Balsamic Potatoes

These potently flavored potatoes are a nice accompaniment to steak or seafood. The recipe makes about 30 servings.

Ingredients:

• 10 pounds small red potatoes, sliced in half
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups Dijon mustard
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus extra for the boiling water
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, and transfer them to a baking dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, butter, salt, and garlic powder. Pour this mixture over the potatoes, and stir to coat. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a warming dish before serving.

For more information, contact Mascaro's Catering or a similar company.