Dauphinois gratin, French potato gratin

Dauphinois gratin, French potato gratin

A good gratin dauphinois is the best side to your fave Sunday roasted chicken... Or any other dish really ! Melt-in-the-mouth potatoes, cooked perfectly in a peppery cream with a decent amount of nutmeg. Baked until golden, it's always a success.

It's best to use waxy potatoes for this recipe, they hold their texture better once cooked and won't turn into mash, which we don't want here. You can use Amandine, Belle de Fontenay or Charlotte varieties for example.

I do not pretend this is the exact traditional recipe but it's the way I do it at home for my family. I know some people's opinion diverge on cooking the potatoes in milk before baking, I think it gives this gratin a fluffy texture and a delicious nutty taste.

For this dish I use a 25x15cm baking dish, like this one. It makes the gratin fluffy and not too flat.  

Dauphinois gratin, French potato gratin (serves 4 to 5) :

  • 1 kg potatoes
  • 30 cl milk
  • 20 cl heavy cream
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 handfuls shredded Emmental cheese
  • Salt and pepper

Peel and slice the potatoes. Don't slice too thin or it will end up too mushy.

Put them in a pan with milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg and peeled garlic cloves.

Let it simmer 15 minutes on low heat.

Fish the garlic out.

Preheat the oven at 180°C/350°F.

Put the potatoes in an oven safe dish and pour the milk (the one you cooked them in) up to half the height of the potatoes.

Sprinkle with Emmental cheese.

Bake at 180°C/350°F for 30 to 40 minutes. Potatoes must be fork tender and the cheese must be golden brown.

Serve !