Pouch Potatoes with Ementhaler Cheese and Sweet Onions

This easy potato side dish is full of creamy, steamy, cheesy flavor. With onions, Swiss Ementhaler cheese and cream then cooked in parchment paper pouches, pouch potatoes are certainly a crowd pleaser.

Meet my new favorite potato dish. Pouch Potatoes. Potatoes cooked nice and steamy in parchment paper topped with Ementhaler Cheese.

But really, as good as potatoes are, it’s really hard to pick a favorite.

Those Grilled Potatoes with Basil Mustard Vinaigrette were killer. And the Poblano and Chive Mashed Potatoes really hit the spot. And how about those little BBQ New Potatoes that we skewered, slathered in BBQ rub and grilled.

Wow. I guess you can’t pick just one way to love potatoes and declare a favorite.

Ementhaler Pouch Potatoes

For this potato side dish, these lucky tubers are tucked into a parchment paper pouch, topped with grated Ementhaler Cheese, some rings of sweet onions and a drizzle of cream.

The secret to making sure this cooks up just right, is to evenly slice those potatoes. And using a mandolin makes this process a breeze.

Then cook them until just tender for eight minutes and they’ll steam like a charm in that cozy little pouch. There’s no need to add any oil, as the cheese brings a little fat to the party. Topped with rings of sweet yellow onion and your potato pouch is complete.

My instructor at Culinary School showed me an easy way to make a pouch that will stay sealed making sure the steam stays inside marrying those wonderful flavors into bliss. Let’s take a look:

Using a rectangular sheet of parchment paper  place your food near the bottom of the top half. I always buy parchment paper in sheets. Even though the rolls can be a little cheeper, those rolled up sheets are very hard to manage once you’ve cut them from the roll.

Simply fold the bottom half over the top. Starting at the left hand bottom corner, fold the corner inward. Then with both hands and using fingers, start folding the paper over onto itself until you’re made it all the way around. Then go back over and press the whole thing again to make a solid seal. You’re ready to steam those flavors together.

Once you’ve positioned the sliced potatoes on the parchment paper, sprinkle on grated Ementhaler cheese.

Then top with some seared rings of sweet onion. A drizzle of cream and of course some salt and pepper.

Place those beautiful little packets full of cheesy Ementhaler potatoes on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven.

I topped each pile of potatoes with a sprig of fresh thyme, but didn’t notice that it added much to the flavor, but did add a little pop of color.

By par-cooking the potatoes and sauteeing the onion, these cook up in a flash. This is a great side dish for any protein that you wish to serve it with.

Potatoes cooked in banana leaves

A “pouch” doesn’t need to be made of parchment paper. Go exotic and try this method wrapped in banana leaves. It adds a unique flavor experience that must be tried. You can find banana leaves in the freezer section of your local Asian marker.

But hey, a nice New York Steak sure comes to mind. As a side note, a pouch can be made by using other materials for a pouch. Like banana leaves. Look for them at your local Asian Market. They add a unique flavor to any pouch meal.

Looking for more great potato side dishes?  How about:

Make Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

Pouch Potatoes … They’re what’s for a Side Dish