Gratin Dauphinois is a joyous, rich potato dish from the French Dauphine region. The authentic version is potatoes baked with cream seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. That’s it. Indeed, it is very welcome and essential if you have just scaled several mountains in sub-zero temperatures!
Having lived in the Hautes Alpes (Dauphine) for many years – we ate our fair share of Gratin Dauphinois with cream and cheese, but most of the time, to protect our waistline, the recipe was made with a little cream mixed with good chicken stock or milk.
The Potatoes
So, depending on the day and the number of mountains scaled, the cream is introduced on a sliding scale of 50 to 20%. If the children are home, I add either parmesan or Gruyère, which is not genuinely authentic but a firm favourite. The trick to a good Dauphinois is very evenly and finely cut potatoes. Use a food processor or mandoline to cut them. I also go off-piste by adding a small onion and a few garlic cloves to the food processor. Optional😁. There is debate about whether you should wash and dry the potatoes – if you can – use firm waxy potatoes, in which case there is no need to rinse them. If your only choice is a starchy potato, rinse and dry in a tea towel.
Method
Warm the milk/stock/ cream mixture with a bay leaf, a branch of thyme, a pinch of mace, crushed peppercorns and a knob of butter. Heat until it’s just about to boil. Layer the potatoes into an earthenware dish (approx 26x20cm), rubbed with garlic and butter.
Pour over the cream mixture, which should sit just under the potatoes. Press the potatoes down, scattered with a few knobs of butter or drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a low oven for about an hour or until golden. If you want the potatoes a little browner – turn up the oven about ten minutes before the end of cooking.
Gratin Dauphinois with roast beef or côte de boeuf is a top ten menu for me. But it’s also an excellent accompaniment to a Sunday gammon, duck or chicken roast. And if there is any leftover, even better when re-heated.
In her classic cookery book, French Provincial Cooking, Elizabeth David said, “The best way, in my view, of appreciating the charm of a gratin dauphinois is to present the dish entirely on its own, as a first course to precede grilled or plain roast meat or poultry, or a cold joint to be eaten with a simple green salad.”
So there you have it from the oracle😃.
Gratin Dauphinois
Equipment
- ceramic or earthenware dish – approx 26x20cm/10x8inch
Ingredients
- 1 kilo potatoes
- 1 small onion optional
- 300 ml cream (see notes)
- 300 ml chicken/vegetable stock or milk (see notes)
- 1 sprig thymne
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp freshly grated mace
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 50 g butter or olive oil for drizzling
- 3 large garlic cloves. One crushed and one/two finely sliced or grated. Reduce the garlic if it is not your thing
- ⅔ tsp salt
- 30 g grated parmesan or gruyere optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the cream and stock, and add the salt, spices and herbs. Set over low heat. Remove just before it starts to boil. Check for seasoning and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
- Rub the baking dish with half the butter and the crushed garlic clove.
- Slice the potatoes and onion (if using) with a food processor or mandoline. Toss well to make sure the onion is evenly distributed.
- Layer about a third of the sliced potatoes into the baking dish. Tucking in the slices of garlic as you go. Sprinkle with a pinch of lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper. Repeat with half the remaining potatoes. Gently push down the potatoes and ensure they are an even layer.
- Cover with half the creamy mixture, pouring through a strainer to remove the peppercorns (optional)*. Tuck the strained thyme and bay leaf into the gratin. Finish layering the rest of the potatoes. Add the remaining cream mixture, some freshly ground black pepper and dot with knobs of butter or drizzle with olive oil.
- If using, sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake on a higher shelf for about an hour or until golden and caramelised around the edges. Turn the oven up towards the end of cooking if you want your gratin a little browner.
Notes
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