Creamy Potato Gratin is a simple side dish from France that is easy to prepare, easy to cook and the creamy taste is absolutely amazing. As my mother used to do, I add thyme leaves between the layers as they go so well with the potatoes. However, I have in the past added a grating of nutmeg or cayenne pepper for a change in direction. Try adding a little course grain mustard into the cream mixture. There are just so many option you can add to flavour it to your tastes or the main course its being served with.
One essential is using full fat cream. This is a must to achieve the amazing creaminess of the sauce. Do not use plain milk, it will not work and the potatoes will turn to mush.
Creamy Potato Gratin originates from the French Dauphinoise recipe but that does not include cheese! To me the cheese is a fundamental of this recipes brilliant flavours and textures. I try to use gruyere when possible but cheddar as a fall back. As a suggestion always purchase a piece of cheese and grate it yourself. Producers add a preservative to pre gated cheese preventing it from melting properly.
Creamy Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 kg potatoes king Edwards, Maris piper
- 3 cloves garlic peel/mince
- 30 g unsalted butter melted
- 355 ml heavy cream full fat
- 330 g gruyere cheddar
- 2 sprigs thyme leaves only
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large jug add the garlic, heavy cream and melted unsalted butter and stir to fully combine.30 g unsalted butter, 355 ml heavy cream, 3 cloves garlic
- Give the potatoes a quick wash, dry and then peel.1 1/2 kg potatoes
- Slice the potatoes into slices, I use a mandoline slicer so each one is 4 mm/1/2inch in thickness.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
- Very lightly butter a baking dish, I use a 13x9inch baking dish which is just the right size. Add 1/3rd of the sliced potatoes and then spoon 1/3rd of the cream mixture over the potatoes and then sprinkle 1/3rd of the salt/pepper and 1/3rd of the thyme, leaves. Finally add 1/3rd of the grated cheese.
- Repeat the process with another layer using the ½ of the remaining potatoes, cream mixture, salt, pepper and thyme.2 sprigs thyme, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- For the top layer, add the remaining potatoes and heavy cream mixture, the salt, pepper and thyme but do not add the cheese.1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, 2 sprigs thyme
- Once the oven is up to temperature, cover the dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 75 minutes or until the potatoes are full cooked through.
- When the potatoes are cooked, remove the foil, add the remaining cheese and put back into the oven for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling away.
- Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes to relax and cool a little. It would have been too hot to eat straight from the oven.
