Forget the Au Gratins or Cheesy Potatoes, Potatoes Dauphinoise
Not gonna lie, these go so well with my roasted Rack of Lamb recipe. But these potatoes also go beautifully with pork tenderloin, ham or any roasted meats.
I’ve lightened these taters up a bit (okay, that’s stretching it) with half and half instead of the traditional heavy cream. When it bakes the potatoes release their starch, and the half and half absorbs into the potatoes, so it is still a lovely sauce.
These Potatoes Dauphinoise are so…
- easy
- quick
- tasty enough for a special holiday meal
Potatoes Dauphinoise is a dish that is classic to France. In light of the tragic Notre Dame Cathedral fire this week, and since it is Holy Week, I thought it fitting to share this recipe. I’m sure there are as many recipes for this dish as there are French grannies, this is my version. Enjoy, oui.
Potatoes Dauphinoise
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Description
Potatoes Dauphinoise: sounds fancy, but it’s a very humble dish. Sounds fussy, but really easy to throw together. You will impress anyone at your table!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8 teaspoon (scant) grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (affiliate link)
- Freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 3 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle position.
- Spread butter across bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish.
- Place potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl of cold water, rinse a few times, microwave on high for 6 minutes, until soft. Remove from water and cool for about 5 minutes, until you can handle them.
- Slice potatoes to 1/4 inch thick, keeping the potatoes in their shape. Place in the baking dish and push down to fan slightly. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, bring half and half, garlic, nutmeg* and bay to a simmer in a large, wide saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Add remaining salt and more cracked pepper (to taste).
- Pour half and half mixture over potatoes to just cover, separate the potato slices a bit so the half and half mixture gets between the slices for ultimate flavor. Sprinkle with cheese, place on a rimmed baking sheet (affiliate link) (to catch any overflow, see photo, yikes), cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, remove foil and continue to bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, another 10-15 minutes.
*freshly grated nutmeg is amazing, use a microplane zester grater, oh the aroma!
Notes
Microwaving the potatoes gets the cooking process started and then you are able to keep the shape of the potato in the pan, but if you prefer, you could slice and them simmer the potatoes in the half and half mixture and add it all to the dish and bake. Make sure the potatoes are tender before putting in the oven.
Keywords: Potatoes Dauphinoise, half and half, dairy, potatoes, classic French potato dish, easter, Christmas Eve, gluten-free, kid-friendly
Excited to try this!
Hey, thanks Bobbi! Let me know how you like it! Happy Spring!