this was an awesome, somewhat indulgent, side dish that i had more than one helping of at our dinner party.  it was a great compliment to the roasted garlic & chile encrusted pork loin.

the smokiness of the gouda didn’t have to compete with the pork, since we cooked that on a gas grill, and was great for time management, since you can assemble most of it ahead of time & then just toss it in the oven to warm up.

also awesome because it contains potatoes, cheese & bacon.

from bon appetit

1.  butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. cook bacon in heavy large skillet until golden brown and crisp. transfer to paper towels to drain. chop bacon. place in medium bowl. add green onions; toss to distribute evenly.

2.  place potatoes in large pot and add enough cold water to cover. sprinkle with salt. cover and boil with lid slightly ajar until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. drain well.

3.  return potatoes to pot. cook over low heat, stirring often, until potatoes are dry and light film forms on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. add next 3 ingredients. using potato masher, mash until almost smooth. stir in 1 1/2 cups smoked gouda and 1 cup bacon mixture. season with salt and pepper. spread potato mixture in prepared baking dish. sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup gouda over. DO AHEAD can be prepared 8 hours ahead. cover and chill potato mixture and remaining bacon mixture separately.

4.  preheat oven to 375°F. bake potatoes until cheese melts and edges of potatoes are bubbling, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if chilled). sprinkle reserved bacon mixture over and serve.