
The Perfect Side Dish: Gratin Dauphinois
- 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
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!
15 Comments
Dawn Guastadisegni
November 23, 2013 at 11:40 amI 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.
Carrie Pacini
November 23, 2013 at 7:29 pmHi Dawn, Thanks for commiserating with me. I did finally make this dish again and it was so worth it!
Sandy
December 3, 2013 at 10:13 amHi Carrie, How many people will your recipe serve? It sounds delicious!
Carrie Pacini
December 3, 2013 at 10:26 amHi Sandy, It feeds about 4 to 5 people nicely.
Isabel
December 5, 2014 at 3:37 pmHi 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
Carrie Pacini
December 5, 2014 at 6:45 pmHi Isabel, Sorry for the confusion. I just updated the directions for clarity! Read through it.
Isabel
December 6, 2014 at 6:30 amThank you Carrie! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Isabel
Isabel
December 7, 2014 at 6:09 amWell, 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 amThat’s Great Isabel! My sister in law Gina is making this dish for us at Christmas. It’s a good one for the holidays.
Julia Snow Morrell
December 21, 2015 at 10:52 pmCan 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
Carrie Pacini
December 23, 2015 at 8:49 amHi 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.
Julia
December 25, 2015 at 11:08 pmhusband says best potato dish I have ever made. Thanks
Carrie Pacini
December 27, 2015 at 11:51 amHi Julia – Thanks for letting me know how it went. Glad to hear that it was a hit!
Teresa Dubrick
November 19, 2016 at 4:43 amOur 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?
Carrie Pacini
December 28, 2016 at 10:35 amI hope the Gratin Dauphinois worked out with your Beef Bourguignon!