Pommes Dauphinoise (Potato Gratin) Recipe

April 10, 2014  | Side Dishes | gratin | potato | side | vegetable 
Prep Time Cook Time Serves
25m 1h 6-8

This is a real “stick to the ribs” kind of potato side dish. For this French classic, you should use a multi-purpose kind of potato that is not too floury or too waxy. The starchiness of the potato slices helps bind the layers together creating a gratin that holds its shape when served.

Best made in winter time when your body is craving comfort food. Pairs nicely with some meat and, of course, a hearty red wine!

This dish is best assembled and baked the same day.

INGREDIENTS

  • Butter, for greasing
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 ¼ cups whole milk
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 4 pounds Yukon Gold (or other all purpose potato)
  • 10 ounces shredded gruyère cheese
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13 inch oven-proof dish and set aside.

Heat the cream, milk, garlic, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly. Turn off the heat.

Peel the potatoes and place in a bowl of cold water to keep them from discoloring. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the potatoes thinly (about ⅛-inch). If you do not have a mandolin, use a sharp knife to slice the potatoes as thinly as you can.

Layer a third of the potato slices, slightly overlapping, in the dish, and sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese on top. Repeat until you have three layers of potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the rosemary on top. Pour over the cream and milk mixture.

Bake until the cheese is golden brown and the liquid is bubbling around the edges, about 50-60 minutes. If the top isn’t golden brown after 60 minutes, turn the broiler on for a few minutes to color and crisp the cheese. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it to serve.

 

COOK'S TIPS

Switch it up. You can pair quite a few different flavors with potatoes. Try using different kinds of cheese (blue cheese could work well), other root vegetables like celeriac layered in with the potatoes or for something really special, add some black truffle shavings.

Related Recipes