Potatoes dauphinoise February 17, 2010

These potatoes gave me a chance to try out my new mandolin, which was loads of fun! I’m now searching for recipes that involve slicing things thinly. Suggestions are welcome. This was also an incredibly easy recipe, though the results looked (and tasted) really impressive. It’s definitely one I’ll be using again. Thank you, Good Food.

Ingredients
1 clove garlic, halved
50g butter
500g waxy potatoes, thinly sliced
Grated nutmeg
300ml milk
300ml double cream
Grated Gruyère cheese for sprinkling (optional)

Set the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Rub the cut sides of the garlic all over the insides of an ovenproof dish, then grease the dish with butter.

Put a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg. Add another layer of potato, season again and press down on the potatoes (the dauphinoise should be dense). Continue building up the layers until you reach the top of the dish, patting down each time.

Mix the milk and cream together and pour over the potatoes, making sure the liquid just covers the surface. Sprinkle the top with cheese, if liked.

Bake for 2 hours. Serve when the potatoes have softened and turned golden brown on top, while the cream is still bubbling.