Column and photos by Ali Carter, Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary
The Wisconsin casserole … we all have one … that one dish that we know is sure to please each and every time it’s placed on the table.
There’s no need to scour the recipe for measurements; every ingredient amount is there in our memory, a scoop of this and a dash of that. It’s household classic, easy to make and versatile, a recipe that long ago became a family favorite.
Earlier this year, I had the joy of talking with Keith Kelling and his wife, Andrea.
Professor emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Soil Science, Keith is involved closely with the industry and was more than willing to spend time chatting, less about soil, and more about cooking with America’s most loved vegetable.
I learned a bit about the potato dish that is one of his family favorites. The conversation became even more intriguing to me when I learned just how the Kelling family happened to first discover this recipe.
OLDIE BUT A GOODIE
Potato connoisseurs and longtime readers of the Badger Common’Tater will recognize the name Gerri Okray and will probably be just as excited as I was to learn that this recipe was originally found right here in her column a handful of years ago!
Since spotting Gerri’s recipe, the Kellings have made and enjoyed this casserole many times and have shared the recipe with friends along the way. I am thrilled that they took the time to send it my way via email.
It’s a deliciously unique blend of flavor with grainy brown mustard and sweet maple syrup, but nothing so unusual that you can’t immediately know that this will be a tasty and traditional, hearty, classic Midwest hot dish.
Keith signed off his email with his final thought on this dish, “nothing fancy here, but really good. Hope you enjoy it.”
The Carter family agrees, Keith! Very, very good!
We’re grateful to Gerri for her years of finding and sharing these recipe gems with Common’Tater readers, and to the Kellings for passing along one of their favorites.
