le gratin dauphinois
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Select some yellow-fleshed potatoes:
Peel,
Rinse,
Dry them with a paper towel, and finally
Slice them as thinly as possible.
If needed, use a mandolin.
Rub the inside of a gratin dish thoroughly with a clove of garlic.
Sprinkle salt over the dish and butter it.
Layer the potato rounds in the dish.
Season each layer of potatoes with salt, pepper, and
freshly grated nutmeg –
the equivalent of a generous pinch.
Bring 4 glassfuls of whole milk to a boil with some
grated nutmeg - again a good-sized pinch.
Infuse for ten minutes or so.
In a bowl,
beat the milk with the heavy cream.
Cover the potatoes with this mixture and
dot with butter.
Place the dish in the oven and
bake for 50 minutes.
Check doneness by inserting the blade of a knife
into the center of the dish: it should go in easily.
Serve in the same baking dish.
- Rinse the potatoes briefly: they need to retain their starch for cooking.
- Whole nutmeg is preferred; you’ll need to grate it.
- Should the top of the dish turn golden too quickly, cover with tin foil.
