Potatoes Dauphinoise or gratin dauphinois is a French dish of sliced potatoes baked in milk or cream, using the gratin technique.
Origins
It originates from the Dauphiné region in south-eastern France, situated between the Alps and the Rhone valley.
Cheese?
English speaking countries like the USA or here in the UK assume that anything gratin means baked with a layer of cheese on top. In France there is NO cheese in gratin dauphinois. The addition of cheese or eggs would relegate the dish to food for peasants. I must be a peasant, I like cheese.
Additionally, a traditional French gratin dauphinois contains no garlic but does require the baking dish to be rubbed with a clove of garlic to give a subtle hint to the flavouring.
This recipe does have a cheese topping, but at the risk of offending the French, I will take my chances.
Potato Choice
Premium Version
According to BBC good food, you can take your potatoes dauphinoise to the next level. All you have to do is the following:
- Use the right potato type
- Choose potatoes of the same size
- Slice uniformly, using a mandolin if possible
- Don’t rinse the potato, the starch helps thicken the sauce
- Infuse flavours into the cream
- Mild garlic flavour, rub the dish and discard
- Pack the potato slices on their side
- Double the cream, use cream and crème fraîche
- Nutmeg, a grating adds a touch of sweet spice
- Butter-basting, brush edges with butter for extra crispness
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Potatoes Dauphinoise
Ingredients
- 500 ml Double cream
- 500 ml Milk full fat
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 8 potatoes large Maris Piper or Desirée
- 100 g Cheese grated gruyère or cheddar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
- Tip the double cream, milk and garlic cloves into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Slice the large potatoes very finely, about 3-4mm, add them to the cream and simmer for 5 mins or until just cooked.
- Gently stir to separate the potato and stop it sinking and catching on the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place in a wide shallow ovenproof dish. Season with salt and pepper between each layer until they are about 5cm in depth.
- Pour over the garlic-infused cream (discarding the garlic) – just enough to seep through the layers and leave a little moisture on the surface.
- Scatter over the grated cheese, then bake for 30 mins until the potatoes are soft and browned – increasing the heat for the last 10 mins to brown the crust.
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