# How do you dot with Butter?



## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

In a scalloped potatoes recipe it says to dot the potatoes with butter, How do i do that? Just trying to make sure. I'm guessing just put peaces of butter around.

Quick reply will be appreciated


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## GB (Dec 18, 2008)

You guessed right. Just break up little pieces of butter and sprinkle them around.


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## sattie (Dec 18, 2008)

Yes, take tiny chunks of butter and drop them all over the top of your taters.  Take a pat of butter and quarter it, then drop the pieces on top.  I don't think it really matters to much how you do it.


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## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

Cheers guys, lets get cooking


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## padams2359 (Dec 18, 2008)

Cutting the pat of butter in quarters will not be a dot, that will be a small square. Just kidding. Yeah, I would say 1/2 tbls pat, cut if 4 would be a dot. Sort of like a pinch, depends on how big your fingers are.


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## GB (Dec 18, 2008)

Dotting really has nothing to do with size (within reason). It is just the process of sprinkling the butter around the top of whatever it is you are making.


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## pacanis (Dec 18, 2008)

Wouldn't melting the butter first and then pouring it on be easier?
Why would you want to dot? Or, when is dotting preferred?


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## LPBeier (Dec 18, 2008)

This reminds me of culinary school.  Our (very French) chef instructor said to add a "knob" of butter to our sauce at the end.  Someone asked how much a knob was and he said "a little smaller than a dollop".  Seriously!!!


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## LPBeier (Dec 18, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Wouldn't melting the butter first and then pouring it on be easier?
> Why would you want to dot? Or, when is dotting preferred?



If you melted it then it would burn quicker.  Dotting allows for the melting time and gives you nice colour and flavour....I think


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## pacanis (Dec 18, 2008)

I'll buy that.
But for scalloped potatoes, it seems the butter will be long melted before they are even close to being cooked. That is, unless you are dotting at the end. Interesting technique though. And now I'll know.


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## padams2359 (Dec 18, 2008)

I would think that melting it ahead of time would cause the fats to separate and run off, where as the dot would give the potatoes time to absorb the butter as it slowly melts.


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## LPBeier (Dec 18, 2008)

Take into consideration that the potatoes under the butter have to heat up so the butter will melt slower.  I have several cake recipes (dump cake for example) where you also dot the butter.  I also think melted butter would run all over and make the top soggy, but once again, I am just supposing.


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## LPBeier (Dec 18, 2008)

padams2359 said:


> I would think that melting it ahead of time would cause the fats to separate and run off, where as the dot would give the potatoes time to absorb the butter as it slowly melts.



Now that is what I was TRYING to say.  Thanks padams.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 18, 2008)

If your butter is cold or frozen you can use the large part of a cheese grater.


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## pacanis (Dec 18, 2008)

Thanks again. I never thought of the potatoes slowly absorbing the butter as it melts.


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2008)

Oh I love scalloped potatoes.

My idea is we "dot" the butter so it slowly melts and mixes with the butter and flour better.    I don't know if this is true but.. it's what I've always thought.


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## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

lol those were a dissaster. I kept the potatoes in the oven on gas mark 4 for about an hour and they still came out tough and kinda raw. did I do sometihng wrong? 

basically got a lasagne dish, cut potatoes in to about cm wide slices. layed them out, sprinckled with flour and seasoning, onion, butter and cheese, laid another layer out, did the same and the the final layer. Poured about two cups of milk in there. and covered everything with foil.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 18, 2008)

I always par-boil my mandolin sliced potatoes first, then assemble the casserole dish. A serving for 4 usually takes about 30-35 minutes in a 350 deg. oven. I also carmelize the onion in a seperate pan and let them cool a bit before putting the main dish together. Grated cheese, heavy cream, salt & pepper.

Edit:  Oh, I like red bliss for that.


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2008)

For us silly people.. ALX how hot is an oven set at 4?

I bake mine for about an hour at 350... 

I put down a layer of sliced potatoes
sprinkle with ham, diced onion, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, and a little flour.
 then dot with butter
Another layer of sliced potatoes 
Another layer of ham, onion, salt, pepper, cheese and flour, dot with butter
Another layer of potatoes, cheese, salt, pepper, flour, dot with butter. ( can add more ham if you want)

Add some milk... 

cover and bake for 45 minutes
uncover test potatoes for softness
if they are soft I top them with a mixture of cheddar and swiss cheese
and bake again until cheese is nice and melted.


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## pacanis (Dec 18, 2008)

Those recipes sound good.

Love the idea of carmelizing the onions Jeeks.


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## padams2359 (Dec 18, 2008)

I am not an expert, but the starch from the potatoes, and the natural clumping of flour is causing an up hill battle.  Not sure why you put flour in with potatoes.  The existing thickening agent in the potatoes would have caused a big clump of a mess.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 18, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Those recipes sound good.
> 
> Love the idea of carmelizing the onions Jeeks.


 
That's a classic ingredient.

I love potato gratin, could eat just that for dinner.  When I first started making it, I was having trouble timing the gratin with dinner and almost always wound up with raw potatoes or onion.  By, basically, pre-cooking everything you are guaranteed a great dish and can pretty much time when it's done.  The cheese and cream cook into the potatoes a bit and everything just "melds" together.

I also remove the lid and let the top crust up a bit.

Try it with cauliflower instead of potatoes, swap out the parm for asiago, you can mix in bits of browned pancetta too.

I bought some tart dishes from BB&B for single serving gratins.  Makes it even easier, and you can control how much you eat.


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2008)

padams2359 said:


> I am not an expert, but the starch from the potatoes, and the natural clumping of flour is causing an up hill battle. Not sure why you put flour in with potatoes. The existing thickening agent in the potatoes would have caused a big clump of a mess.


 


I've always used the flour and have never had a clump of mess... 

you just spinkle in on lightly...you don't dump handfuls of the stuff.

Really it's very good....


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## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

pdswife said:


> For us silly people.. ALX how hot is an oven set at 4?
> 
> I bake mine for about an hour at 350...
> 
> ...



yep gas mark four is 350 farenheit.

how much milk do you put in? as I understand you're supposed to cover the potatoes....


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2008)

I never measure but I don't even come close to covering the potatoes...

I'd say I add it up to the first layer of taters.    When the milk heats and the butter and cheese melt it all seems to work out fine for the sauce.   COvering your pan keeps the liquid in.


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## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

pdswife said:


> I never measure but I don't even come close to covering the potatoes...
> 
> I'd say I add it up to the first layer of taters.    When the milk heats and the butter and cheese melt it all seems to work out fine for the sauce.   COvering your pan keeps the liquid in.




that may have been the poreblem. I'll have to try it again

when its cooked, is there milk left as the liquid or is it pretty much evaporated solidified, etc?


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2008)

Mine is all nice and  thick and creamy.  No milk left.


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## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

pdswife said:


> Mine is all nice and  thick and creamy.  No milk left.



haha my potatoes were like swimming in it.

oh well I guess we learn by failing


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2008)

goodness knows I've still got a lot of learning to do!

Potatoes are very inexpensive...try again!


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## pacanis (Dec 18, 2008)

And you thought you only came here to learn what a butter dot was.


This has been a good thread.


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## Alx26 (Dec 18, 2008)

pacanis said:


> And you thought you only came here to learn what a butter dot was.
> 
> 
> This has been a good thread.




lol I had to google butter before I even came here


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## Russellkhan (Dec 18, 2008)

Alx26 said:


> lol I had to google butter before I even came here



Wait, are you saying you didn't know what butter was? I find that incredible.


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