Gratin dauphinois


Gratin dauphinois is a French dish of sliced potatoes baked in milk or cream, from the Dauphiné region in south-eastern France. There are many variants of the name of the dish, including pommes de terre dauphinoise, potatoes à la dauphinoise and gratin de pommes à la dauphinoise.

History

The first mention of the dish is from 12 July 1788. It was served with ortolans at a dinner given by Charles-Henri, Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre and Lieutenant-general of the Dauphiné, for the municipal officials of the town of Gap, now in the département of Hautes-Alpes.

Preparation

Gratin dauphinois is made with raw potatoes, thinly sliced, and milk or cream, cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic. The potatoes are peeled and sliced to the thickness of a coin, usually with a mandoline; they are layered in a shallow earthenware dish and cooked in a slow oven; the heat is raised for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.
The dish is often distinguished from gratin savoyard as not including cheese. Nonetheless, recipes given by many chefs including Auguste Escoffier, Austin de Croze, Robert Carrier, and Constance Spry call for cheese and eggs.
It is distinguished from ordinary gratin potatoes by the use of raw rather than boiled potatoes. It is a quite different dish from pommes dauphine.