When I was cooking in the early 1970s in Provence, one of my favorite specialties, especially during the holidays, was gratin Dauphinois. To non-French-speaking ears, that name may sound grandly haute cuisine, but it actually refers to one of the most easy and down-to-earth but luxurious side dishes you could possibly make.
“Gratin” is French for “crust,” any crust that forms on top of a dish baked in a hot oven. The “Dauphinois” part of the dish’s name refers to the Dauphine region of France, around the city of Grenoble, in the foothills of the Alps. They grow lots of potatoes there, as well as farming dairy cattle that provide a wealth of cream and cheese. Put it all together and you get a signature dish of the region: a casserole of sliced garlicky potatoes slathered in rich cream and topped with melted cheese.
But why, you might wonder, would a restaurant in sunny Provence proudly serve a recipe from the Dauphine region? The answer is simple: It makes a perfect side dish for roast leg of lamb, one of the simplest and best main courses of that southern French province. Because such grand roasts are seldom served with a sauce, it makes sense to accompany them with such a rich, saucy side. This one perfectly complements any roast you might want to serve for any festive meal.
The ingredients are easy to find. I like to use buttery, nutty-tasting Yukon Gold potatoes, although regular baking potatoes will work fine too. Most well-stocked markets carry creme fraiche, French-style soured cream, though you could substitute well-drained regular sour cream if necessary. Instead of the Swiss cheese, feel free to use any other good melting variety you like, such as fontina or mozzarella.
An added advantage to the gratin is that you can do the first and longest portion of the baking well ahead of time; then assemble the final gratin dish following the recipe, top it with cheese, and refrigerate it until about half an hour before serving time.
Then, do the final baking to form the gratin, adding another 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time to allow for the fact that you have started with a cold dish.
There you have it: a side dish that could win as many raves as the roast that stars on your holiday table!
Gratin Dauphinois
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 servings
12 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick
3 containers (1/2 pint each) whipping cream
3 cloves garlic, 2 minced, 1 cut in half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a teakettle or saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Combine the potatoes, cream, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl; transfer the potato mixture in an even layer to an 8-cup shallow casserole. Place the casserole dish inside a large roasting pan.
2. Place the roasting pan on the middle shelf of the oven; carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the baking dish. Bake until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a skewer, about 1 hour, 45 minutes; remove the roasting pan from the oven. Remove casserole; discard water in roasting pan. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees; heat more water to a boil.
3. Rub the inside of a large gratin dish with the halved garlic clove; spread half of the creme fraiche in the dish. Spread half of the potatoes in the dish; spread the remaining creme fraiche on top. Top with the remaining potatoes; sprinkle evenly with the Swiss cheese.
4. Place the gratin dish in the roasting pan; place the pan on the oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the side of the gratin dish. Bake until the cheese has melted and formed a golden-brown crust, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
285 calories, 45% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 35 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 230 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
