Gratin Dauphinois Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 4/fan oven 140C. Rub the butter all over the surface of a gratin dish, about 18x28cm/7x11in. Peel and slice the potatoes to a width of 3mm/1⁄8in. Lay the slices on a clean tea towel and pat dry. Keep them covered with the tea towel while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the garlic, thyme and shallot (if using). Slowly heat the milk and, just as it is about to reach boiling point and you see bubbles appearing around the edge of the pan, remove it from the heat. Strain the liquid into a large jug, sprinkle in the nutmeg and keep warm.
• Layer half the potato slices in the dish, slightly overlapping the slices and sprinkling with a little salt and freshly ground pepper between each layer. You don't have to be too neat with the lower layers, but keep some of your best slices for later, so the top looks good.
• Pour half the hot milk and cream over the potatoes, then finish off layering the rest of the potatoes (arranging them a bit more carefully this time). Pour over the rest of the hot milk and cream. Scatter the cheese over the top and bake for about one hour, until golden and tender. Leave the dish to stand for about 5 minutes, then serve sprinkled with a few fresh thyme leaves.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in center. Generously butter a 9-by-12-inch glass baking dish. Peel potatoes, and slice into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Place slices in a bowl of cold water as you go to prevent discoloration.
• In a medium saucepan, combine garlic, milk, heavy cream, salt, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, and pour into prepared baking dish. Discard bay leaf.
• Drain potatoes in a colander, and transfer to baking dish. Using a large spoon, toss potatoes with milk mixture pressing down gently to distribute the potato slices evenly. Season with pepper. Dot with butter, distributing evenly over entire surface; sprinkle with cheese.
• Place in oven; bake until potatoes can be pierced with a fork and top is brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300F/150C/gas mark 2.
• Take a heavy-bottomed dish or an ovenproof gratin dish (a Le Creuset is ideal - the potatoes tend not to catch), and grease it will with some of the butter.
• Layer the potato slices in the dish, slightly overlapping each other, seasoning lightly with the salt and pepper, and sprinkling a liberal amount of cheese on each layer.
• Sprinkle cheese on the top of the last layer.
• Put the double cream, garlic and sprigs of thyme in a pan and bring to them gently to the boil, then remove the thyme and pour hot cream over the potatoes.
• Dot the top of the gratin with the remaining butter and some extra cheese if you wish, and bake for about 1 hr to 1 1/2 hrs, or until the potatoes are soft, and the top is crispy and golden brown.
• Serve bubbling hot as a main meal or as an accompaniment.

Steps:

• Place the milk and the garlic in a large heavy saucepan. Season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Bring to boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Peel the potatoes and slice thinly on a mandoline or plastic vegetable slicer. Place potato slices in hot simmering milk and cook very gently for 10 minutes or so, or just until the potatoes begin to soften.
• Immediately drain the potatoes in a colander (reserve milk for another use, if desired). Butter an oval gratin dish that measures about 12" long and 10" wide (at the widest spot). Place half the potato slices in the dish, neatly arranged, making sure to sprinkle every single layer of potatoes with a little salt, pepper and nutmeg. When half the potatoes are placed, cover with half of the grated cheese, evenly spread out. Place the second half of the potato slices in the gratin dish, again seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Top with the remaining half of the cheese, evenly spread out. Pour the cream over and around the potatoes.
• Cover the gratin loosely (with a lid or with aluminum foil). Place in the oven, and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the cream has cooked away. Remove the lid and place the gratin briefly under the broiler until brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter a 2 quart flame proof casserole or gratin dish.
• Peel the potatoes and hold them in cold water until ready to proceed with the recipe.
• Combine the garlic, cream, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Dry the potatoes fully and cut them into rounds, beginning at one end, using a mandoline. Set the blade on the mandoline to cut a thin, 1/8-inch thick, slice. Place the potato slices into the gratin dish carefully layering them in a circular fashion. Pour the seasoned cream over the potatoes and shake the dish gently to allow the cream to flow towards the bottom of the dish.
• Place the gratin dish on the stovetop over low heat and begin to warm the contents until the cream has begun to simmer. Cook the potatoes in the seasoned cream for 5 minutes and then place the gratin dish into the oven.
• Bake the potatoes for 45 to 60 minutes until the top has browned to a rich golden color and the cream is bubbling along the side of the dish.
• Remove the gratin from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.