Here’s another opportunity, with this French Potato Treat, to get in your kitchen and whip up something French since you can’t go just yet. In this post, you’ll learn how to make Gratin Dauphinois, a beloved potato dish known all over France. It’s one of those recipes that has several different versions all over the country. Some have cheese, some don’t, but all are made with heavy cream and a hint of garlic.
Are you ready to give this a try? My recipe comes from a French cookbook 
called Le Petit Larousse de la Cuisine. You may know that petit means small, and this book has 1800 recipes! I just wonder how many the grand Larousse has in it! (Hint: There are lots of beloved potato treats inside!)
Here’s the recipe:
2 pounds firm potatoes
1 clove of garlic
1 level teaspoon salt
Some butter for dotting on the top and buttering the pan
250 ml (about 1 ½ cups) of whole milk
50 ml (about 1/3 cup) of heavy cream
A dash of nutmeg
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Start by washing and peeling the potatoes. Slice them (you can use the blade attachment on a food processor, which is what I did, though it makes the slices a bit too thin. Your choice.)
Take a clove of garlic and rub a casserole dish with it, then smear butter on the bottom and sides. Put the potatoes into the pan in a circular pattern, overlapping if possible.
Mix together the cream and milk and add the salt and nutmeg. Pour this over the potatoes. Dot the top with several small chunks of butter. Place into the middle rack of the oven and set for 45 minutes. (You can test this with a fork and add a few minutes if you need to.)
Ready for the hot oven!
If you want to, you can grate some gruyere cheese over the top. I have seen both versions, with and without cheese. The two main recipes I have used don’t have any. It’s plenty rich without it. This recipe doesn’t have garlic in the milk mixture itself, but you may want to add just a bit (no more than 1 clove crushed) if you want to add a zing.
It makes a nice side dish with meat or not.
Serves 5 or 6 people.
Related Posts:
A French Meal: Bring France to your Kitchen
