Potato Gratin Dauphinois - Seasonal Recipe

Potato Gratin Dauphinois

🌍 Seasonal, Winter Difficulty: ●●●○○

Gratin Dauphinois comes from the Dauphiné region of southeast France; it was served at a 1788 dinner given by the Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre in Gap, in what is the first documented reference to the dish, though it is certainly older.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (1.1kg (2.5 lbs)) starchy potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and very thinly sliced (2–3mm)
• 600ml (2½ cups) double (heavy) cream
• 240ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 3 cloves garlic, 2 minced + 1 halved
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• White pepper
• 30g (2 tbsp) butter (for dish and top)
• Optional: 100g (98g (3.5 oz)) Gruyère, grated (note: the classic Dauphinois has no cheese; adding it makes it gratin savoyard)

Method

1. Preheating — Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Rub a large gratin dish thoroughly with the cut garlic halve; butter the dish generously.
2. Combining — Combine cream, milk, minced garlic, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper in a saucepan. Bring just to a simmer.
3. Adding — Add potato slices to the cream mixture; cook gently 5 minutes, turning carefully, until cream thickens slightly.
4. Pouring — Pour everything into the prepared gratin dish; arrange potato slices so they are submerged. Dot top with butter (and cheese if using).
5. Baking — Bake 60–75 minutes until potatoes are completely tender when pierced and top is deep golden. If top browns too quickly, cover with foil.
6. Resting — Rest 15 minutes before serving — it sets further as it cools.

Tags: ) starchy potatoes, double cream, whole milk, garlic, fresh thyme leaves · Source: Brittani's Almanac