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The Perfect Side Dish: Gratin Dauphinois

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The Perfect Side Dish: Gratin Dauphinois

  • Author: Carrie Pacini
  • Category: French Inspired

Description

The last time I tried to make Gratin Dauphinois was at Christmas a couple of years ago.

I made a large tray, diligently slicing and layering the potatoes and cheeses in a beautiful glass serving dish. I was thrilled to serve it to the family on Christmas Day. And then…while we were walking out the door it slipped out of my hands and shattered on the floor. Potatoes, melted cheese and a million pieces of glass went everywhere. I mean everywhere!

Since then I’ve stayed away from this recipe I think partly because of the frustration I had that day, and cleaning cheese out of my curtains for weeks.

But on our recent trip to France I was energized to try this dish again!

When we were having lunch in Aloxe Corton, the Gratin Dauphinois was served with the Beef Bourguignon and it was heavenly together.

The word Dauphinois is a French term that describes the method of baking potatoes in milk, cream, and cheese.

This is such a great side dish to serve with the Beef Bourguignon or a nice Steak.

Kitchen Tools:

Potatoes Dauphinois is a simple dish if you have 1 tool, which is a mandoline slicer. It is a handy tool to have in the kitchen and will slice your vegetables in degrees of thin and thinkness.


Ingredients

Scale

1 garlic clove, halved
1 egg
1 1/2 cup of whole milk
1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 1/2 cup of shredded Gruyere
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and sliced through the madoline
Butter to grease the dish or dishes


Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees

2. Take the garlic clove and rub it around the bottom of each dish you plan to bake, also grease the dish or dishes with butter

3. heat the milk (1 1/2 cups) and 3/4 of the cream in a saucepan until you see the bubbles around the edges of the pan.

4. In a small bowl whisk 1 egg and gradually add a little bit of the milk (1 tablespoon) from the saucepan to temper the egg, add about 3/4 cup of the cheese and mix together

5. Add the egg and cheese mixture to the milk and stir to blend.

6. Next season the milk with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and continue to stir for about 2 minutes and then turn off the heat.

7. Take the slices of potatoes and add them to the saucepan to give them a coating of the milk and cheese mixture.

8.  Now take the sauce pan (with potatoes in it) and gently fold them into your baking dish that will go in the oven.

9. Sprinkle Grated Gruyere cheese on top of the potatoes and bake in the oven for 1 hour at 375 Degrees.

1o. After 1 Hour, transfer the Gratin to a wood surface and let cool for about 15 minutes

11. Now coat the potatoes with a layer of cream (the reserved 3/4 cup of cream) and return back to the oven for 15 minutes, then bring out to cool for 10 minutes and serve!


Keywords: French Dishes, Side Dish, Snacks

 

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15 Comments

  • Reply
    Dawn Guastadisegni
    November 23, 2013 at 11:40 am

    I know your pain. I made caramelized carrots one year for a holiday and I was so proud how it was turning out in the oven. My family was super excited for it and as I was carrying it to the table the tray slipped out of my hands throwing the carrots all over the place and dish shattering. Tears were shed that day. I hope you had the courage to retry your dish.

    • Reply
      Carrie Pacini
      November 23, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      Hi Dawn, Thanks for commiserating with me. I did finally make this dish again and it was so worth it!

  • Reply
    Sandy
    December 3, 2013 at 10:13 am

    Hi Carrie, How many people will your recipe serve? It sounds delicious!

    • Reply
      Carrie Pacini
      December 3, 2013 at 10:26 am

      Hi Sandy, It feeds about 4 to 5 people nicely.

  • Reply
    Isabel
    December 5, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Hi Carrie,
    I found this recipe and I want to try it tomorrow. I’m confused about one of the directions in 9. What do you do with the 3/4 cup of milk mixture reserved in this step? Because #12 says to add a layer of cream, not the milk mixture.

    Also, in step #4. how much milk do you add to the egg to temper it?

    Thanks!!! Isabel

    • Reply
      Carrie Pacini
      December 5, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      Hi Isabel, Sorry for the confusion. I just updated the directions for clarity! Read through it.

      • Reply
        Isabel
        December 6, 2014 at 6:30 am

        Thank you Carrie! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
        Isabel

        • Reply
          Isabel
          December 7, 2014 at 6:09 am

          Well, Carrie, it was amazing! I made one change because I realized at the last minute that I didn’t have any nutmeg. So I used just a dash of cinnamon instead. It was wonderful. Really fragrant and not overpowering, delicious! Thanks!

          • Carrie Pacini
            December 9, 2014 at 7:19 am

            That’s Great Isabel! My sister in law Gina is making this dish for us at Christmas. It’s a good one for the holidays.

  • Reply
    Julia Snow Morrell
    December 21, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    Can steps 1-9 be done in advance? I would like to do this for Christmas but have to cook the roast and only have one over? Sounds delicious

    • Reply
      Carrie Pacini
      December 23, 2015 at 8:49 am

      Hi Julie, I would bake the dish the day before covered with foil to keep it moist, then on the day of I would pop it in the oven and finish it off for 20 minutes without foil so it will brown on the top.

  • Reply
    Julia
    December 25, 2015 at 11:08 pm

    husband says best potato dish I have ever made. Thanks

    • Reply
      Carrie Pacini
      December 27, 2015 at 11:51 am

      Hi Julia – Thanks for letting me know how it went. Glad to hear that it was a hit!

  • Reply
    Teresa Dubrick
    November 19, 2016 at 4:43 am

    Our dinner group theme will be French Canadian and the hostess is making Beef Bourgignon. I am considering Gratin Dauphinois as my side dish contribution. Guess I’ll have to double the recipe to serve 10. What vegetables would best compliment these 2 dishes?

    • Reply
      Carrie Pacini
      December 28, 2016 at 10:35 am

      I hope the Gratin Dauphinois worked out with your Beef Bourguignon!

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