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Deceptively simple Dauphinoise

The Savoy and Dauphiné areas in the French Alps are renowned for rich dairy pastures. A typical dish from these regions is gratin, in which local milk and cheese is used.

There are at least half a dozen recipes for gratin Dauphinoise, the best known of which is the sliced potato and milk mixture. Some use cream, some are topped with cheese; others are flavoured with garlic or layered with wild mushrooms.

The perfect gratin Dauphinoise – a deceptively simple dish to make – is soft and melted with just the right balance of seasoning. If it is cooked too fast or too long, the milk in gratin Dauphinoise has a tendency to curdle, as potatoes have an unexpectedly high acid content.

In this lovely, rich recipe, the potatoes should first be blanched in milk to remove the acid, then simmered in cream.

This recipe is a great accompaniment for many meat dishes but is also a perfect summer meal that can be served hot or cold and teamed with a simple chicken salad.

Gratin Dauphinoise (potato gratin with cheese and cream)

Ingredients (Serves 6)
Half clove garlic
750g potatoes (1 and half lbs)
Salt and pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg
600ml milk (1 pint)
300ml (half pint) double cream or crème frâiche
45g (1 and half oz) grated gruyère cheese
30g (1oz) butter
And a shallow baking dish (about 1.25l/2-pint capacity)

Method
1. Rub baking dish with the cut side of the garlic and then butter the dish.

2. Peel the potatoes and cut them in thin slices. Don’t soak them in water as this removes some of the starch needed to give the gratin a creamy consistency. Season the slices with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

3. Bring the milk to the boil in a large saucepan, whisking occasionally to prevent it from burning. Add the potatoes to the boiling milk and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain the potatoes and discard the milk. Set the oven to a very hot temperature (220C, 425F).

4. Return the potatoes to the saucepan and add the cream. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Taste for seasoning.

5. Spoon the potatoes and cream into the buttered baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot from the dish.

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