Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes are an absolute classic crowd pleaser, and so versatile. The lusciously rich creamy potato with a boost of garlic is a great accompaniment to both red and white meats. Its easy to make and can be made ahead and reheated if needed. I’m going to show you the correct method for making the gratin, so forget what you may have had in the past and try these out.

Try them out with the Christmas Turkey, they make a great alternative to the humble roast potato.

Ditch the cheese.

This is not the solid slab of potato with a hint of cream you may be familiar with but a soft, rich, flavourful potato you never tire of. Commonly grated cheese is sprinkled on top before baking, but it shouldn’t be needed.

The delicate flavour of a Dauphinoise is created by a reaction of the fat in the cream, the garlic, and the starch in the potatoes. Properly mix and cooked together the flavour will naturally develop to a luscious experience of garlic and cream . Cooking the potatoes on the hob releases the starch into the cream and starts the process off.

Restaurants often don’t cook Dauphinoise correctly (see below) and add a layer of cheese to catch up’.

Of course, if you like the cheese don’t let me stop you, just use a really good one!

Restaurant made Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes.

When the gratin is made in a restaurant the chefs want a product that is easy to make, looks good and is easy to serve.

To that end most restaurants make the dish like this-

The garlic cream is made separately, then sliced potatoes are laid in a deep tray with a layer of cream poured between. When the tray is full a layer of cream and cheese is put on top then the whole thing is cooked in the oven.

When cooked a second tray is placed on top and weighted down. This compresses the potato which when cool provides a firm slab of potato which can be cut into shapes according to the presentation required. The shapes can then be refrigerated and re-heated as needed.

Hence the uninteresting dry, firm, block of potatoes you may have been served in the past.

Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes – correct method.

You will need-  

Makes enough for four.    

Oven temperature 150˚c

The Garlic Cream.

Peel the garlic, remove any visible green shoot and chop. Sprinkle the salt onto the chopped garlic then use your cook’s knife to crush the garlic and salt to a paste.

Pour the cream or milk/cream mix into the pan and add the garlic. Mix the garlic well into the cream then bring the pan to the simmer. When simmering remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand. This is your garlic cream mix.

The Potatoes.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 …mm slices using a mandolin or food processor. If that’s not going to be possible to do safely, check out our alternative ideas below. Whatever you do, DO NOT RINSE THE POTATO, you will wash off the starch we need in the cream.

Return the pan to the heat and start to add the sliced potatoes. Don’t just add then all at once, add the slices as if you were dealing cards. This will ensure each slice is covered in cream.

1st Stage Cooking.

Cook the potatoes and cream together carefully for about 10-15 minutes. Push the potatoes down gently so they stay below the surface. Check the bottom of the pan from time to time to check the potato is not burning.

When ready the starch will be released into the cream, thickening it, and forming a sauce. While the pan is cooking butter the inside of the baking dish to avoid sticking

 Add a little milled black pepper and check the seasoning adding a dash of salt if needed. Chefs often use white pepper because they think if you see black bits in your potato, you will think its been burnt. Do that if you wish but for me its black pepper every time.

Be carful not to overdo the seasoning. The dish should taste just slightly under seasoned before going into the oven. As the cream evaporates in the oven the seasoning will catch up

2nd Stage Cooking.

Lift the contents of the pan into the baking dish trying to keep the layers of potato as flat as possible. Lightly press the potato to level everything up and keep a tin layer of cream on top.

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The top should be golden brown and the potatoes tender.

Serving Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes.

The texture of the cooked dauphinoise should be not dissimilar to a ripe Brie cheese. Slightly oozing from the edges but not running all over the place.

If serving this at home, I let my guest help themselves directly from the serving dish.

If you do want to portion out the potato, I would recommend serving it as a side dish. It’s much easier and a lot quicker! Have a look at the alternatives below for another suggestion on how to cook and serve the potatoes.

How to make Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes, Video Guide.

Alternative suggestions.

Celeriac and Parmesan Dauphinoise.

This one is great for serving with well flavoured meats like game, and one for the cheese lovers.

Substitute 200g of potato in the recipe above for peeled and very thinly sliced celeriac. Cook on the hob as above then spoon half the mix into the baking dish. Sprinkle on 30g of parmesan cheese then add the balance of the potato mix.

Dust a further 30g of parmesan on top and bake in the over as before.

Horseradish Dauphinoise.

Great for serving with the Sunday roast. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of freshly grated horseradish to the garlic cream as it cooks, then bake as normal.

Cheese and Bacon Dauphinoise.

This really copies the idea of a Tartiflette, a French potato dish of cream, bacon, and cheese.

Take 200g of dry cured bacon pieces and fry then in a little olive oil until cooked. Proceed as for the main recipe up to the point of putting the potato mixture into the baking dish. Mix 60g of grated extra mature cheddar cheese and 60g of grated parmesan. Now start to fill the baking dish with the potato. Layering it up with a sprinkling of the cheese and bacon pieces. Top off with the remaining cheese and bake.

F.A.Qs

Enjoy Life!

John.

©John Webber. 2023