Introduction
Gratin dauphinois is thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in milk and cream flavoured with garlic, until soft inside and golden on top. It is the classic side for a roast or a grilled steak, and with a green salad it makes a winter supper of its own.
It comes from the Dauphiné, the region around Grenoble in the French Alps. The first written mention is a dinner on 12 July 1788, given by the Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre, lieutenant-general of the Dauphiné. The traditional version has no cheese, which is what sets it apart from a gratin savoyard; the starch from unwashed potatoes thickens the cream on its own.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg waxy or all-purpose potatoes (such as Charlotte or Yukon Gold)
- 500 ml whole milk
- 250 ml cream
- 2 garlic cloves: 1 crushed, 1 halved
- 1 pinch of grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper
- 20 g butter
Tools
- A baking dish, about 30 × 20 cm
- A large saucepan
- A mandoline or a sharp knife, for slicing
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 160 °C (140 °C fan). Rub the dish with the halved garlic clove, then with the butter.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them about 3 mm thick. Don’t rinse them: their starch thickens the sauce.
- Put the slices in the saucepan with the milk, cream, crushed garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring carefully so the bottom doesn’t catch, until the liquid thickens slightly.
- Pour everything into the dish and press the top layer flat. The liquid should just reach the top slices.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until the top is golden and a knife slides through the potatoes with no resistance. If the top browns too early, cover it with foil.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the cream sets.