Dauphinoise

clint_silver

I love one. I can make one. Layer cheese, milk, double cream, garlic, pre-boiled sliced spuds and various combinations over the years.

Ive had really good ones, sweet potato ones. restaraunt ones.

Heres the thing, I was in france on holidays a few years ago and had one served to me that was the nicest one Ive ever eaten. The reason is it was light. not just fluffy light but nearly airy light with the layers razor thin. been trying to replicate for years and near got near it. Turn out not stodgy but nowhere near as light as Id like.

how to make a really light dauphinoise?

Alun

Personally I never parboil the potatoes but slice them really thinly on a mandolin. Just rub a cut clove of garlic around the dish, layer the potatoes seasoning each layer, add cream/milk, cover with cheese, and voila. What you are making sounds more like what I see in many Irish restaurants as 'garlic potatoes' which is a heavier, more garlicky thing altogether.

When cooking it I usually omit the cheese to start with, cover it with foil and let the potatoes cook properly, then uncover put the cheese on and finish it under the grill. The potatoes don't dry out too much that way. You can also optionally beat an egg into the cream/milk before pouring it over which makes for a more solid end result.

clint_silver

Alun wrote: »

Personally I never parboil the potatoes but slice them really thinly on a mandolin. Just rub a cut clove of garlic around the dish, layer the potatoes seasoning each layer, add cream/milk, cover with cheese, and voila. What you are making sounds more like what I see in many Irish restaurants as 'garlic potatoes' which is a heavier, more garlicky thing altogether.

When cooking it I usually omit the cheese to start with, cover it with foil and let the potatoes cook properly, then uncover put the cheese on and finish it under the grill. The potatoes don't dry out too much that way. You can also optionally beat an egg into the cream/milk before pouring it over which makes for a more solid end result.

how long in the oven? 45-50 mins? Preferred cheese?

Id agree, the heavier effort is what Id associate as "garlic potatoes" rather than a true dauphinois now that I think about it

Thud

try rinsing the potato slices to remove some of the starch should make it a bit lighter

Alun

clint_silver wrote: »

how long in the oven? 45-50 mins? Preferred cheese?

Id agree, the heavier effort is what Id associate as "garlic potatoes" rather than a true dauphinois now that I think about it

I'm a "cook it until it's done" kind of cook, so I don't pay much attention to cooking times, but I'd imagine about 1 hour at 160 or thereabouts. It's one of those things that once you've got the initial cooking done, you can keep covered with foil to keep warm and then finish off at the last minute under the grill.

Preferred cheese is gruyere, but parmesan will do also.

LaChatteGitane

Les pommes Dauphinois or gratin Dauphinois are not made with cheese at all. When cheese is used it becomes a gratin Savoyard.
Use potatoes that are not too waxy, great variety are Charlotte potatoes to use.
Never, never wash the potato slices, because the flour in the potatoes will bind with the cream/milk when cooking in the oven, giving you a more firm, less gloopy dish.
Rub a peeled garlic clove in the gratin dish. Spread a knob of soft butter along the bottom.
Layer the potao slices with black pepper, freshly ground nutmeg and a sprinkle of salt. Pour over cream/milk or a mix of the two.
Put in a preheated oven 180°C until ready.
I usually stick a sharp knife through the potatoes to check if they're done.
They need a rest before serving.

bonkey

Also, arranging the potato slices isn't just about making it pretty. It can help get the structure right, preventing big "blobs" of stuck-together slices of potato (which defeats the whole point of slicing them thinly)

It doesn't need to be a work of art, but its worth an extra minute or two to layer them properly.