Creamy, decadent and moreish, Dauphinoise potatoes, or gratin dauphinois, is the perfect classic French side dish.
It had been a while since I’d had a go at my favourite potato dish, and considering how well it had gone down previously, I thought I’d make it again for Father’s Day. A combination of recipes I’ve accumulated over the years, plus my own ‘twist’, this dish is very straightforward and takes just an hour.
*Serves 5*
Ingredients:
1kg potatoes (floury variety)
Butter (for greasing the baking dish)
Half an onion
3 garlic cloves
300ml double cream
300ml semi-skimmed milk
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper & ground nutmeg
Method:
First, pre-heat the oven to 190C. Then, wash and peel your potatoes. Be sure to choose a floury variety such as King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes. These sorts of potatoes have a fluffy texture which makes them ideal for baking. Then, thinly slice the potatoes with a sharp knife.
Next, in a large saucepan combine the cream and milk, followed by the garlic – either grated or finely chopped – and allow to simmer on a medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Then, chop the onion and add it to the mixture along with the potatoes.
Allow to simmer for another 15 minutes or so, or until the potatoes are almost cooked. During this time, you may also add salt and pepper to taste, as well as about half a teaspoon of nutmeg. You can then add around 2 teaspoons of grated parmesan (or more if you’d like it to be cheesier!). Stir well.
Whilst the mixture is simmering, grease an ovenproof baking dish with butter. Then, scoop the potatoes into the dish with a slotted spoon and pour the remaining sauce over them. (I didn’t use all of the liquid as I didn’t want them to be too soggy). Sprinkle some more parmesan on the top and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the top layer is nice and crispy and the potatoes are tender.
The great thing about dauphinoise potatoes is that they go with everything. I like to keep the rest of the meal simple, however, as the flavours in this dish are quite strong. I served mine with sirloin steak – seasoned with sea salt and black pepper – and some broccoli.
If you do decide to have a go at this recipe, let me know how it goes and tag me in your pictures – @oliviazao on Twitter and Instagram. Happy cooking!
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