Classic French Dauphinois Potato Gratin

This classic Dauphinois potato gratin is the embodiment of slow, gentle cooking and simple ingredients handled with care. Thinly sliced firm-fleshed potatoes are baked in a mixture of milk and cream, delicately scented with garlic and nutmeg, until meltingly tender. There is no cheese in a true gratin dauphinois: its richness comes solely from the cream, the natural starch of the potatoes, and the long, low-temperature bake that allows everything to bind into a silky, comforting dish.

Serves: 4 to 6 people

Ingredients

• 1 kg firm-fleshed potatoes (Charlotte, Monalisa, or Belle de Fontenay)
• 400 ml full-fat liquid cream (30% fat)
• 400 ml whole milk
• 1 garlic clove (for rubbing the dish)
• 30 g butter
• Salt and pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Prepare the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 160°C. A gentle, moderate temperature is essential for achieving the signature melting texture without separating the cream. Peel the garlic clove, cut it in half, and rub it generously over the bottom and sides of a gratin dish. This subtly perfumes the dish without overpowering it. Butter the dish evenly once it has been rubbed with garlic.
2. Prepare the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and rinse them briefly. Slice them into very thin rounds, about 2 to 3 mm thick, ideally using a mandoline for regularity. Consistent thickness ensures even cooking throughout the gratin. Do not rinse the slices after cutting: the surface starch released by the potatoes is essential for thickening and binding the cream mixture naturally.
3. Season the liquid.
   
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