Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Halve one garlic clove and rub it over the inside of a gratin dish, then butter the dish generously.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin 2 to 3 mm rounds, ideally on a mandoline. Do not rinse them: the starch helps the gratin set.
- In a large saucepan, combine the cream and milk. Add the second garlic clove, crushed, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the potato slices, stir gently, and cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the liquid thickens slightly.
- Pour everything into the dish, spread the slices evenly, and press down so the liquid just reaches the surface.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender (test with a knife tip) and the top is deeply golden.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving: the gratin holds together better when sliced.
Nutrition
Notes
No cheese, really: traditional gratin dauphinois contains no cheese. Add gruyère and it becomes a gratin savoyard. For a gratinéed top, you can still scatter about 3 oz (80 g) grated gruyère over the surface 15 minutes before the end. Potato choice: use a waxy variety (Yukon Gold) that holds its shape; avoid starchy baking potatoes, which would fall apart. Lighter version: replace some of the cream with milk (about 1¼ cups milk to ¾ cup cream); the gratin stays creamy, just less rich. Low-carb version: swap the potatoes for cauliflower or celeriac for a creamy gratin far lower in carbs. Make ahead: assemble the gratin, cover, and refrigerate, then bake the same day, allowing a little extra time. A little history: gratin dauphinois comes from the Dauphiné region of southeastern France and is documented as far back as 1788; the original recipe is nothing more than potatoes, milk or cream, garlic, and nutmeg.
