French · Free
Gratin Dauphinois
Thinly sliced potatoes baked in garlicky cream until tender, rich, and golden on top. This luxurious potato gratin from the Dauphine region is the ultimate cold-weather comfort side dish.
****+
Prep 25 min · Cook 75 min
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F and generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, rubbing the butter over the bottom and sides.
Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin rounds about 1/8 inch thick, using a mandoline if you have one so the slices are even and cook uniformly.
Do not rinse the sliced potatoes, because the surface starch helps thicken the cream into a luscious sauce.
In a large pot, combine the cream, milk, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then add the potato slices and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cook the potatoes in the cream for about 8 minutes, stirring gently now and then, until the liquid has thickened noticeably and the potatoes are partly tender; this par-cooking step ensures they finish soft in the oven.
Transfer half of the potato slices to the buttered dish, spreading them in an even layer, then sprinkle with half of the Gruyere.
Layer the remaining potatoes on top and pour over any cream left in the pot so the potatoes are nearly submerged.
Scatter the rest of the Gruyere evenly over the surface.
Bake uncovered for 55 to 65 minutes until the top is deep golden brown, bubbling, and a knife slides through the potatoes with no resistance.
If the top browns too fast before the potatoes are tender, loosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking.
Let the gratin rest for 15 minutes after baking so the cream sets and the layers firm up for cleaner serving.
Serve hot as a side to roast meats, spooning up plenty of the creamy potatoes.
Chef's tips
- Slice the potatoes as thinly and evenly as possible so they cook through and layer neatly.
- Resist rinsing the slices; the released starch is what thickens the cream into a silky sauce.
- Letting the gratin rest before serving keeps the layers from sliding apart on the plate.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
