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Delia Smith Creamy Dauphinoise Side Dish Recipe
Nancy Wilson

Delia Smith Dauphinoise Potatoes

5 from 5 votes
Delia Smith's dauphinoise potatoes (Gratin Dauphinois) from her Complete Cookery Course. Thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in cream, milk and garlic, with no cheese.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Calories: 325
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 450 g good-quality potatoes King Edward or Désirée, peeled
  • 1 small garlic clove crushed
  • 150 ml double cream
  • 150 ml full-fat milk
  • 25 g butter dotted in small flecks, plus a little extra for the dish
To Taste
  • freshly grated nutmeg to taste
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Shallow oval gratin dish, about 21cm (8½ inch)
  • Mandoline or very sharp knife
  • Clean tea towel
  • Jug
  • Nutmeg grater

Method
 

  1. Prepare. Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan, gas mark 2) with a shelf on the highest rung. Butter the gratin dish well.
  2. Slice. Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly, about 3mm, using a mandoline or sharp knife.
  3. Rinse and dry. Swish the slices in a bowl of cold water to remove some starch, then dry them very thoroughly in a clean tea towel.
  4. Layer. Arrange a layer of potatoes in the dish. Sprinkle over some of the crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Add a second layer of potatoes and more seasoning.
  5. Add the cream and milk. Mix the cream and milk together and pour evenly over the potatoes.
  6. Finish. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg and dot the butter in flecks over the surface.
  7. Bake. Bake on the highest shelf for 1½ hours, until golden on top and the potatoes are completely tender.
  8. Rest. Let the dish stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Quantities and method follow Delia Smith's Gratin Dauphinois in Delia's Complete Cookery Course.
  • Oven: 150°C conventional, about 130°C fan, gas mark 2 (300°F). Bake on the highest shelf.
  • Delia leaves out cheese because she feels it masks the potato flavour.
  • To scale up, keep the ratio of 450g potatoes to 150ml cream and 150ml milk, and use a larger dish so the potatoes stay at the same depth.
  • Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered. Reheat covered with foil until hot all the way through.