# Gratin Dauphinois



## kitchenelf (Feb 9, 2004)

Here is my favorite recipe - I had it this way at a restaurant called The Pheonix in Wilmington, North Carolina.  I just adapted what I had in their recipe to my own recipe.  And, of course, you do not have to use the tomatoes if you don't want, and you can substitute the Gruyere for any cheese your heart desires or you can leave the cheese out.  (Blue cheese is a nice alternative also).


4 large Idaho Potatoes peeled and sliced paper-thin (a mandolin works great for this)
2 - 3 large garlic cloves (however much you like)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 pints whipping cream (or combination half and half and whipping cream)
sliced tomatoes (as many as it takes to make a single layer in middle of potatoes)
Couple dashes of nutmeg (optional)
I have also added some cayenne pepper to this along with some chopped green chilies for a whole different theme!!

Potatoes should be  sliced at the last minute so that they do not darken; (do not soak in cold water). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  

Heat slowly the cream mixture with some salt and pepper and the cloves of garlic.  Heat very slowly so the garlic flavor is released into the liquid.  This cream mixture needs to be "over" salted and peppered because it will be seasoning the entire batch of potatoes.  If you are unsure how much to put in do put more than normal in and then season the layers of potatoes a little as you put them in the pan.

Begin by rubbing the bottom and sides of a gratin dish (rectangle casserole/baker works fine) with the cut sides of the garlic (then add these to the cream mixture to heat).

Place layers of sliced potatoes on the bottom half, pouring a small amount of cream mixture and salting and peppering each layer (unless you know you over-salted the cream mxiture already) until you reach the middle of the pan.

On the very middle layer add your layer of sliced tomatoes and the Gruyere cheese.  

Then finish the top half by again layering the potato slices, adding a little cream mixture and salting and peppering the different layers if necessary.

Pour the remaining cream mixture over entire pan, tapping gently to release any air bubbles and helping the cream mixture reach all the layers.

Place the pan, uncovered in the oven.  (Put a baking sheet underneath to catch spills.) 

Bake for 1 hour or more, until the top is browned and the cream has cooked down to a thick sauce.  During the first 1/2 hour of cooking, using a broad spatula, push the top layers of potatoes into the cream every once in a while to ensure they don't dry out.

Let dish cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.  Serve hot, at room temperature or cold, or just send it to me -  :P


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## Audeo (Nov 16, 2004)

I had to bump this one up, boys and girls!  While scavenging through the wealth of information left here long before I arrived, I found this one from Elf, much to my delight!

This is so simple, sooo good with Gruyere, to which I am admittedly addicted.  There were NO leftovers of this one last night and my dear husband immediately commented on how nice this potato dish would be for Thanksgiving....hint, hint!!!

Thank you, Elf!


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## kitchenelf (Nov 16, 2004)

Glad you liked it Audeo - yes, this dish is quite addictive - you have a tendency to get just "one more" bite - and you one bite it to death until it is almost gone!!!!  I fixed a similar version one Thanksgiving and everyone had a dang heart attack because I didn't do mashed potatoes!!!!!   :P   I might make a smaller amount of mashed potatoes - then on Friday when people drop by for leftovers I may have these - just depends on how bad my body hurts from cooking the 2 days prior! LOL

I really want some now - next summer get your hands on some heirloom tomatoes (or any good tomato) and place slices of those with the Gruyere - you will LOVE it!


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## Audeo (Nov 16, 2004)

Heirloom tomatoes?  Yum!  And I happen to have a dear neighbor whose plants are still producing some of the ugliest, tastiest tomatoes on the planet!

Thank you for that suggestion!


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## marmalady (Nov 16, 2004)

I'm so glad you bumped this, Audeo - KE, it looks awesome, and leads me to a question/problem I have with any potato au gratin dish.

The potatoes don't cook through, and if I crank the heat up in the oven, the cream curdles.  

Made them one time with a ?David Rosengarten recipe, where he parcooked the potatoes in the cream, and that worked; but I just see so many recipes that start with the potatoes raw.  

Info about how I do my dish - potatoes sliced wafer thin on a mandoline, so I don't think the thickness of the slice is the problem.

Brand new oven, calibration checked and okay!

The only thing I can think is that maybe I'm putting too many layers in?  I don't really have a recipe in front of me, just layer as much as I have room for.  

Any and all ideas will be muchoo appreciated!  I'm thinking of a potato/cheddar gratin for post-Christmas dinner with DH's family, along with a ham.


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## kitchenelf (Nov 16, 2004)

mmmm....... let me just start "talking" through this....

When I make mine I make sure there is enough cream mixture to completely come up to the top of the potatoes.  I think I remember one time mine taking forever to cook too but I'm not sure why.  And you're right, you can't crank the heat up!  What I would be tempted to do at the point where you realize they are not cooked totally is cover with some foil.  

If I didn't have a mandoline I don't think I would even make this dish - so I know your potatoes are thin enough.  Do you remember how long you cook the dish?  If I were going to make a 9 x 13 pan full of these I would guess at almost 2 hours cooking time.  Make sure you heat the cream mixture before pouring over potatoes.  

Does any of this sound different that what you do?  

Reference your post-Christmas meal - One of my favorite meals is to make this but put either kielbasa or ham slices in the middle along with the cheese.  

Audeo - heirloom tomatoes certainly fall in the "ugly" category!! LOL


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## Erik (Nov 16, 2004)

This is a great recipe, I used to featured it at a resaurant I worked at. Make sure the potatoes are paper thin, and I usually covered ithe pan with foil.
Also...very important to keep the temp low.


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## kitchenelf (Nov 16, 2004)

Erik - I just assume that by stressing use of the mandoline I implied paper thin - thanks.  Afterall - a mandoline can slice thick too - so thanks for mentioning that - that could be the problem.  I have never covered mine but then again I like the ones on top that turn color - I think covering will definately help get them done for marmalady.


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## marmalady (Nov 17, 2004)

Have tried covering the dish, too - and the potato slices are thin enough to see through!  I've let the dish go for as long as 1 1/2 hours - maybe I was too impatient?  

If you top with a layer of cheese, do you folks add the cheese when it goes in the oven, or maybe a half hour or so before it's done?  What's happening is that my top cheese layer is all browned, but the potatoes underneath are still 'al dente'!

KE, I'd love to put ham or sausage in it, but this will be a 'blended' dinner, with meat eaters and vegetarians - sigh.

And heirloom tomatoes - love 'em!  Grew some in Jersey, and tried to here in SC, but they just didn't do well.  The 'ugly' Italian ones are my faves!


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## Audeo (Nov 17, 2004)

Hmmmm....  I don't have a mandolin...YET!  I just used my cuisinart and sliced them into about 1/8-inch slices, which would be quite thick by your discussions here.   I used a gravy ladle to schmear the cream sauce over the layers.   I did cover the dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil for the first hour, then removed, then added a wee bit more gruyere and cooked for another half hour perhaps.  It came out uniformly tender and cooked within and only the top was "crunchy" from the browned cheese.

Well thank heavens!  I obviously got lucky here!!!  And it was my turn, too!!!


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## kitchenelf (Nov 17, 2004)

marmalady - I put the cheese in the middle layer.  That is probably why you are being "impatient" so to speak.  You see the top browning and maybe you keep opening the oven to check, thus cooling the potatoes each time.  

Put a layer in the middle and let it cook untouched for 1 hour (covered if you want like Audeo) - Then the last 1/2 hour you can, if you want, add more cheese to the top and let melt and somewhat brown.  But before you add the cheese test with a knife to make sure potatoes are near done or done.  I personally like the cheese in the middle - it's like a treasure! LOL


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## marmalady (Nov 17, 2004)

I put cheese in the middle, too - and on top!  The only thing I haven't done is cook it covered - I'll try that next time, and see what I get.  And dutifully report back!  Tx, folks!


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## kitchenelf (Nov 17, 2004)

I would leave it off the top until the last 30 minutes - I would be tempted to cook it about 45 minutes covered then uncovered with cheese added.

Well, if you want you can just cook it at my house     I'm craving this stuff now!!!!!!!!!!


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## marmalady (Nov 18, 2004)

LOL - Be careful what you wish for, Elf!  I've been thinking about a little road trip to visit a friend in Knoxville soon, and I'll have to cruise pretty close to where you are!

And tx for all the help - I do have some 'breathing' room to experiement; this is for a Christmas dinner with all of hubbie's family, who will be coming down from NC the Monday after Christmas.  They're such wonderful folk, his mom and dad, but getting up there in age; and we've never had the opportunity to have the whole family together for a holiday, so this is gonna be a special one.  

My 'theme' for the meal is to keep it simple, with foods they're familiar with, but to 'kick' it up a bit!


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## LadyCook61 (Feb 16, 2008)

sounds delicious. I don't have a mandoline but probably could use my food processor with the slicing blade.


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## kitchenelf (Feb 16, 2008)

You can.  It might take a bit longer to cook, that's all!  You just have to pierce with a knife or stick a fork in the potatoes - it should be soft.  If there's any crunchy you will notice it.  Plan ahead is my best advice i.e., have an extra 30 minutes to spare if additional cooking is necessary and don't be afraid to stick some foil back on the top if it's not cooking to your satisfaction.


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 17, 2008)

All these great Au gratin recipes lately, and now this wonderful recipe, but I am supposed to be limiting my carbs!!!!


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## ChefJune (Feb 17, 2008)

LadyCook61 said:


> sounds delicious. I don't have a mandoline but probably could use my food processor with the slicing blade.



LadyCook, do you have the 1mm slicing blade?  That's what I use when I make this gratin.  (BTW, Patricia Wells suggests that during baking you turn the potatoes over in the creamy mixture several times during baking, cutting down from the center out.  and then leave it alone and uncovered for the last 30 minutes, which should ensure a brown, crusty top.)  Interestingly, I've found many gratins in France -- not just potato -- that contain no cheese at all.  After all, "Gratin" means browned, not cheese!

*Potato Gratin*

This is a true “Gratin” in the Lyonnaise style.  That means it’s made with milk and cream.  Cheese is NOT a requirement, but if you miss it, you may add 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese about 20 minutes before the gratin has finished baking.  

makes 6 to 8 servings – it’s rich!

1 medium garlic clove, peeled and cut in half 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk	
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
5 medium-sized all-purpose potatoes (about 2 pounds total) peeled and rinsed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.	Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Rub the inside of a 13 x 8 1/2 x 1 3/4-inch gratin dish with the garlic, then with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
2.	Crush the garlic.  Combine milk and cream with the sage and garlic in a nonreactive saucepan.  Slowly bring the mixture to a simmer, but do not boil.
3.	Cut the potatoes in half crosswise and slice them with the thin (2mm) slicing disc or on a mandoline.  Arrange one-third of the potatoes in the gratin dish.  Strain the milk-cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve and pour one-third over the potatoes.  Dot with 1 tablespoon of the butter cut into small pieces, and season with salt and pepper.  Repeat the process twice more.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the custard is firm and potatoes are golden brown.


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## LadyCook61 (Feb 17, 2008)

LadyCook, do you have the 1mm slicing blade? 

The smallest I have is the 2mm.


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