Gratin de Pommes de Terre à la Dauphinoise

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

2-3 large potatoes (about 600-700 grams total)
Butter for greasing
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
Nutmeg to grate fresh
150 mls of milk
300 mls of single cream
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).

2. Mix the milk and cream and add fresh grated nutmeg.

3. Peel and slice the potatoes thinly. Not mandolin-thin or they’ll collapse, but about 2 millimetres. Grease a baking dish with butter. Don’t use oil. Line the bottom of the dish with crushed garlic and layer the potatoes evenly adding salt and pepper to each layer as you go. Pour over the cream and milk mixture so that the liquid is just below the level of the potatoes.

4. Put into the oven for about an hour (preferably on a baking tray to catch any spillages!). At the end of the cooking time, ensure you have a dark brown crust on top. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, as it’s slightly firmer and easier to slice.

Notes

A little note here, and it’s back to first year Uni Chemistry lectures which I always thought were a complete waste of time, but it seems now are actually of some use. You must use cream and full fat cream at that. Don’t be tempted to use just milk. Why? Potatoes are acidic. When you put acid with milk, especially under heat, it can curdle unless the butterfat content is over 25%. If you encounter a gratin that’s developed that split cheese look, that’s possibly what’s happened. The little bit of flour helps to prevent this too. You can use all cream if you like, but don’t send your cardiologist’s bill to me.

Pour this mixture over the potatoes so that the liquid is just below the level of the potatoes. You should also try to have at least a few centimetres or so of baking dish rising above the level of potatoes, unless you particularly enjoy cleaning burnt cream off the bottom of your oven. If you find you’re a bit light on liquid, add some more milk and cream, as the actual volume you need will somewhat depend on the size and shape of your dish.

Put into a preheated 180°C oven for about an hour. Several things will happen. The liquid will bubble up and boil quite vigorously over the potatoes. That’s fine, it will eventually thicken and bubble less as it is absorbed into the spuds. After about 30-40 minutes, the potatoes will collapse slightly at which point I push them down lightly, sinking them back into the cream with a flat spatula. I find this helps give a very even crust. At the end of the cooking time, ensure you have a dark brown crust on top, remove form the oven, and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, as it’s easier to slice and slightly firmer.

OR http://femmesqc.com/recette60.htm