An awful business trip, rescued by a French cookbook, and a French potato gratin.
Rich, creamy, luxurious and full of textures and flavours. Gratin Dauphinois, the classic French potato gratin, has never gone out of fashion. It is a delicious, hearty and sumptuous side dish for Sunday roasts, and perfect for dinner parties.
Classic Gratin Dauphinois is a traditional potato gratin originating from the Dauphiné, a historic region in southeastern France. Its main ingredients include starchy potatoes, garlic, and cream.
An excellent addition to Sunday lunch, it pairs perfectly with any protein, particularly roasted or stewed.
The gratin can be made ahead and reheated, making it also an excellent side dish for dinner parties.
Despite its luxuriousness, Gratin Dauphinois is an easy and uncomplicated dish, especially if using a Mandolin that speeds up the potato cutting process.
Gratin Dauphinois is one of our family favourites and my go-to side dish during festivities. It is rich, flavourful, filling, and satisfying, making it also ideal for serving a large crowd when prepared in a big batch.
The gratin's creamy texture provides flavour and moisture, nearly eliminating the necessity for a pan sauce to go with the protein.
Over the years I have made this gratin numerous times, and in various versions. The original Gratin Dauphinois did not include cheese. I add cheese or not, depending on the dish I serve it with. I use waxy or starchy potatoes, usually whichever I have at home, and both types work well. I add garlic, depending on my diners' preferences, but I almost always add a pinch of nutmeg. The one rule I constantly follow is to always use raw, sliced potatoes.
The recipe is simple: Thinly sliced potatoes are layered with cheese, seasoned, and baked in a blend of cream and milk until they are tender inside, with a golden-brown crust on top.
When using waxy potatoes, I cut them thinly or slice them with a Mandolin, and leave the gratin in the oven a bit longer so the potatoes can soften and absorb the liquid.
On top of potatoes and cream, the recipe below also includes milk, nutmeg and cheese, but you can make the dish also without. I use about two thirds cream and one third full-fat milk, and the gratin is still rich enough.
Make sure to use full-fat cream and milk, as low-fat dariy products have a tendency to split during heating.
My favourite cheese for Gratin Dauphinois is Gryere with its mildly nutty, earthy flavour and smooth creaminess. If you can't get hold of Gryere, you can use any other cheese that melts well and has a nice, strong flavour, like Emmental or Pecorino Rigatello, also well as white Cheddar and Parmesan.
My recipe, with quantities for an approximately 20 x 20 cm dish, makes six generous portions. To make a larger amount, you can use a large roasting tin and simply double the ingredients. When pouring the liquid into the dish, it should rise almost to the top of the potatoes. Depending on the size of your dish, you might need more or less liquid. So in case the amount is not suffiencit, just mix more cream and milk, season and pour it into the dish.
Whether starchy or waxy, with cheese or without, make sure to keep a close watch on the dish, particularly towards the end of the cooking time. Insert a small knife and check the potatoes for doneness, and cover the top with foil if necessary to prevent it from burning or getting too dark before the potatoes are done. In case the potatoes are tender before the top is browned, you can simply increase the heat at the end to get a nice browned crust, or place the dish under a medium grill for a couple of minutes.
Fresh from the oven, the gratin can be a bit runny and difficult to slice into neat portions. Allow the gratin to rest before serving to let it firm up. Alternatively you can prepare it in the morning, or even the day before: once baked, leave it to cool completely, cover the tin with aluminium foil and store it in the fridge until use. Once cooled or chilled, it has the ideal consistency for cutting. You can see the difference in the photos below.
When ready to use, simply re-heat the dish, covered with foil, to prevent it from drying out, at 180°C/160°C Fan for 15-20 minutes, or until hot throughout.
Once the gratin has set, it can be perfectly cut into neat slices and squares, or even circles with the aid of a large cookie cutter for a fancy presentation. Simply reheat the smaller pieces at medium heat in the microwave, or place them on a tray, cover them with foil and reheat them in the oven.
An excellent side dish for grilled, fried and stewed meat, lamb, venison, and fish.
The base recipe I use comes from a French cookbook I bought years ago at Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport on the way home from a business trip. The trip was a nightmare, and I couldn't wait to get home. Fortunately, Lyon airport has an excellent bookstore that served as a perfect distraction. After pulling myself away from the 'Petit Prince' section, with books, toy planes and other adorable 'Petit Prince' collectibles, I discovered this treasure: 'The Food of France' - and in English, no less!
It's a fantastic book, packed with traditional French recipes, with beatiful photos and pull-out pages brimming with French cheeses, breads and other baked goods, and other French culinary delicacies. Needless to say, my mood was quickly restored. Lo' and behold, the Gratin Dauphinois in this book is made with cheese!
How to prepare:
GRATIN DAUPHINOIS
Recipe adapted from: "the food of FRANCE", Gratin Dauphinois
INGREDIENTS:
Makes: 6 Portions
1 kg floury (starchy) potatoes (but also waxy potatoes, if at hand)
2 garlic cloves
125-140 g Gruyere (or a mix of: Gouda, Emmental, Pecorino Rigatello; or a bag of mixed gratin cheeses)*(omit the cheese if you prefer for a more classic version)
freshly grated nutmeg
250 ml fresh heavy cream (I use this amount, as it's the standard size available; alternatively use 300 ml but then reduce the milk to 100 ml milk)
150 ml 35% full-fat milk
fine sea salt
butter for the oven dish
optional: a couple of thyme sprigs for decoration
Equipment needed: 20 x 20 cm oven dish
*My favourite cheese for this Gratin Dauphinois is Gryere with its mildly nutty, earthy flavour and smooth creaminess. If you can't get hold of Gryere, use any other cheese that melts well and has a nice, strong flavour, like Emmental or Pecorino Rigatello, also well as white cheddar and parmesan.
DIRECTIONS:
1 Gather the ingredients.
2 Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan.
3 Peel and cut one of the garlic cloves in half, then rub it all over the inside of the baking dish. Butter the dish. Note: if you want the gratin less garlicky, you could rub the dish, then omit the additional minced garlic)
4 Mince both garlic cloves. Grate the cheese on the coarse side of a box grater.
5 Peel the potatoes, placing them immediately in a bowl with cold water to prevent them from oxidation and turning brown.
6 Layer the gratin in the following sequence: potatoes, salt, garlic, cheese, nutmeg - repeat: Dry the potatoes, then cut them into thin slices with a Mandolin or a sharp knife: the potato slices tend to brown quickly, so I remove one potato at a time, dry it, slice it, and layer it immediately in the dish. Add the first layer of potato slices into the dish, overlapping like fish scales. Season with salt, sprinkle over a little minced garlic and some cheese, then grate fresh nutmeg on top. Repeat this sequence all the way to just below the rim of the dish, keeping some cheese for the end. Finish with a layer of potatoes, seasoned with salt, garlic and nutmeg.
7 Combine the cream and milk, season with salt, then pour the mixture into the dish.
8 Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
9 Transfer the gratin to the pre-heated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Towards the end of cooking time, insert a small knife all the way into the potatoes and check them for doneness. The potatoes are done, when the knife easily inserts into the potatoes, but can also be pulled out with little resistance. If necessary cover the top of the gratin with aluminium foil to avoid too much browning or burning of the top before the potatoes are done. The gratin is done when the edges are bubbly, the potatoes soft, and the creamy liquid is fully absorbed. It should have a beautiful golden-brown crust.
10 Rest the Gratin: Remove the gratin from the oven, then leave it to rest, covered with aluminium foil, for at least 20 minutes, before cutting and serving so that it can set and firm up a bit.
11 Serve: Cut the gratin into pieces and serve.
TEXT-ONLY RECIPE
GRATIN DAUPHINOIS
A classic French potato gratin, rich, oozy, creamy, luxurious and full of textures and flavours. A delicious, hearty and sumptuous side dish for Sunday roasts, and perfect for dinner parties.
Recipe adapted from: "the food of FRANCE", Gratin Dauphinois
INGREDIENTS:
Makes: 6 Portions
1 kg floury (starchy) potatoes (but also waxy potatoes, if at hand)
2 garlic cloves
125-140 g Gruyere (or a mix of: Gouda, Emmental, Pecorino Rigatello; or a bag of mixed gratin cheeses)*(omit the cheese if you prefer for a more classic version)
freshly grated nutmeg
250 ml fresh heavy cream (I use this amount, as it's the standard size available; alternatively use 300 ml but then reduce the milk to 100 ml milk)
150 ml 35% full-fat milk
fine sea salt
butter for the oven dish
optional: a couple of thyme sprigs for decoration
Equipment needed: 20 x 20 cm oven dish
*My favourite cheese for this Gratin Dauphinois is Gryere with its mildly nutty, earthy flavour and smooth creaminess. If you can't get hold of Gryere, use any other cheese that melts well and has a nice, strong flavour, like Emmental or Pecorino Rigatello, also well as white cheddar and parmesan.
DIRECTIONS:
Gather the ingredients.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan.
Rub the dish with garlic: Peel and cut one of the garlic cloves in half, then rub it all over the inside of the baking dish. Butter the dish. Note: if you want the gratin less garlicky, you could rub the dish, then omit the additional minced garlic)
Prepare the garlic and cheese: Mince the garlic cloves. Grate the cheese on the coarse side of a box grater.
Peel the potatoes, placing them immediately in a bowl with cold water to prevent them from oxidation and turning brown.
Layer the gratin: Dry the potatoes, then cut them into thin slices with a Mandolin or a sharp knife: the potato slices tend to brown quickly, so I remove one potato at a time, dry it, slice it, and layer it immediately in the dish. Layer the gratin in the following sequence: potatoes, salt, garlic, cheese, nutmeg - repeat: Add the first layer of potato slices into the dish, overlapping like fish scales. Season with salt, sprinkle over a little minced garlic and some cheese, then grate fresh nutmeg on top. Repeat this sequence all the way to just below the rim of the dish, keeping some cheese for the end. Finish with a layer of potatoes, seasoned with salt, garlic and nutmeg.
Add the cream: Mix the cream with the milk, season with salt, then pour it into the dish on the side of the potatoes.
Add a final layer of cheese: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake: Transfer the gratin to the pre-heated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Towards the end of cooking time, insert a small knife all the way into the potatoes and check them for doneness. The potatoes are done, when the knife easily inserts into the potatoes, but can also be pulled out with little resistance. If necessary cover the top of the gratin with aluminium foil to avoid too much browning or burning of the top before the potatoes are done. The gratin is done when the edges are bubbly, the potatoes soft, and the creamy liquid is fully absorbed. It should have a beautiful golden-brown crust.
Rest the Gratin: Remove the gratin from the oven, then leave it to rest, covered with aluminium foil, for at least 20 minutes, before cutting and serving so that it can set and firm up a bit.
Serve: Cut the gratin into pieces and serve.
TIPS FOR GRATIN DAUPHINOIS:
If using waxy potatoes, slice them thinly with a Mandolin or sharp knife, and leave the gratin in the oven a bit longer so the potatoes can soften and absorb the liquid.
On top of potatoes and cream, the recipe below also includes milk, nutmeg and cheese, but you can make the dish also without. I use about two thirds cream and one third full-fat milk, and the gratin is still rich enough.
Make sure to use full-fat cream, as low-fat cream has a tendency to split during heating.
My favourite cheese for Gratin Dauphinois is Gryere with its mildly nutty, earthy flavour and smooth creaminess. If you can't get hold of Gryere, use any other cheese that melts well and has a nice, strong flavour, like Emmental or Pecorino Rigatello, also well as white cheddar and parmesan.
The recipe is for a 20 x 20 cm oven dish, and makes six generous portions. To make a larger amount, use a large roasting tin and simply double the ingredients.
When pouring the liquid into the dish, it should rise almost to the top of the potatoes Depending on the dish, you might need more or less liquid. So in case the amount is not suffiencit, just mix more cream and milk, season and pour it into the dish.
Keep a close watch on the dish, particularly towards the end of the cooking time. Insert a small knife and check the potatoes for doneness, covering the top with foil if necessary to prevent it from burning or getting too dark before the potatoes are done. In case the potatoes are tender before the top is browned, you can simply increase the heat at the end to get a nice browned top, or place the dish under a medium grill for a couple of minutes.
Fresh from the oven, the gratin can be a bit runny and difficult to slice into neat portions. Allow the gratin to rest before serving to let it firm up a bit. Alternatively you can prepare the gratin in the morning, or even the day before: once baked, leave it to cool completely, cover the tin with aluminium foil and store it in the fridge until use. Once cooled or chilled, it has the ideal consistency for cutting. You can see the difference in the photos below.
When ready to use, simply re-heat the whole dish, covered with foil to prevent it from drying out, at 180°C/160°C Fan for 15-20 minutes, or until hot throughout.
Once the gratin has set and cooled, it can be perfectly cut into neat slices and squares, or circles with the aid of a large cookie cutter for a fancy presentation. Simply reheat the smaller pieces at medium heat in the microwave, or place them on a tray, cover them with foil and reheat them in the oven.
An excellent side dish for grilled, fried and stewed meat, lamb, venison, and fish.
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