Gratin Dauphinois
Gratin Dauphinois is a classic French potato gratin that is the perfect accompaniment to saltysweet ham. Made with half-and-half, cheese and garlic, it has a creaminess that complements the meat in a way that nothing else can.
I learned to make the dish by alternating layers of raw potato slices with cheese in a gratin dish (oval baking dish), then pouring hot milk over the layers and baking it. But now I prefer the technique used by culinary guru Jacques Pepin. He puts unrinsed potato slices in a large saucepan or Dutch oven along with a generous amount of halfand-half and a little finely minced garlic. The mixture is brought to a boil on top of the stove. In the bubbling process, the starch on the potatoes thickens the half-and-half and makes the spuds supercreamy, with a subtle garlic edge. The whole shebang is transferred into a gratin dish and topped with grated Swiss cheese and Parmesan. Then it bakes until mahoganycolored areas form on the surface. Delicious.
If you have leftovers, top the gratin dish with aluminum foil and warm in a 350-degree oven for about 15minutes. Serve a nice wedge alongside green salad napped with simple vinaigrette. The combination of creamy potatoes and tart salad makes a lovely contrast in flavor and texture.
Yield: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1tablespoon butter, for greasing gratin dish 4 medium-large baking potatoes, such as russet (about 10-11ounces each), peeled, cut into 1⁄8-inch thick slices (do not rinse slices)
1 quart half-and-half
1 1⁄2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese (or Jarlsberg or Emmenthaler) 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
PROCEDURE
1: Grease an 8-cup gratin dish with butter. Preheat oven to 400degrees.
2: In a 5-quart pot or Dutch oven, combine potato slices, half-and-half and garlic. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to boil on mediumhigh heat, stirring occasionally with large wooden spoon or rubber spatula, to keep slices from sticking together. Once half-andhalf starts to boil, it will start to thicken slightly. Lower heat to medium and let mixture bubble for 3-4 minutes, scraping bottom of pan to prevent sticking. 3: Using a slotted spoon, transfer potato slices into prepared gratin dish. Pour half-and-half mixture on top of potatoes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with cheeses.
4: Bake in middle of preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. Allow gratin to cool 30 minutes before serving.