Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise)
- jonashton
- Apr 10
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 11
Dauphinoise Dreams: A Culinary Awakening
The culinary classroom smelled of ambition and butter. Knives clattered, gas burners hissed, and the steel benches were always just cold enough to keep you alert. I remember the day I met Gratin Dauphinois—though I couldn’t pronounce it. I called it Dolph Lundgren potatoes after a late-night Rocky marathon. The name stuck. My instructor was less amused.
We sliced russets on a French mandoline—clearly designed by someone with a grudge against fingers. Each swipe sent pale potato slivers fluttering into the bowl like confetti. Then came the cream, steeped with garlic and thyme, filling the kitchen with a scent so divine it made even burnt toast smell poetic.
We layered the potatoes like blankets, scattered Gruyère between each, and poured over the hot cream—it slid into every crevice like warm silk. I got scolded for opening the oven too often. “It’s not the Royal Baby,” my chef barked.
When it finally emerged—golden, bubbling, the top kissed with crisped cheese—I knew I was ruined.
The first bite was decadent. Tender potatoes bathed in garlicky velvet, crisp edges giving way to rich, buttery softness. It fogged my glasses and silenced the room.
To this day, Potatoes au Gratin is my favorite dish. Not just for the taste—but for that first bite, in a too-bright kitchen, with burnt toast and big dreams in the air.
One dish. One bite. A lifetime of chasing that feeling.
A Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin Crust Worth Committing Petty Theft For
Let’s be honest. When most of us approach a gratin, it’s not the interior that draws us in—it’s the top. The crown jewel. The golden, blistered, bubbly bit where cheese and cream have united in crispy, caramelized matrimony.
I’ve personally been caught hovering around buffet lines like a hungry badger, scooping off the top layer with suspicious efficiency. And I am not alone in this mildly shameful practice. Even food critic Jeffrey Steingarten confessed to constructing a single-layer gratin just to maximize surface area.
But, my dear friend, we can do better. A well-made Potatoes au Gratin should not force you to play favorites. It must be magnificent from top to bottom, with flavor and creaminess woven through every silky slice like the threads of a Savile Row suit.
The Secret to Silky, Saucy Layers (And Not a Curdy Catastrophe)
Many a promising gratin has been ruined by curdled cream. The culprit? Milk. While well-intentioned (and certainly cheaper), milk contains proteins that tend to separate under high heat, especially when paired with acidic ingredients like cheese. The result? Something that tastes like regret.
The fix is simple and utterly luxurious: use heavy cream, possibly cut with a bit of chicken broth if you’re feeling virtuous (or have a chicken loitering in the fridge). The fat content keeps everything luscious and cohesive. No flan-like wobble. No watery nonsense.
Toss your cheeses—yes, plural—with a bit of cornstarch. This prevents clumping and helps emulsify the sauce, making it velvety enough to make even Casanova blush.
Best Potatoes for Potatoes au Gratin (Hint: Leave the Waxy Ones for Salad)
You want starchy potatoes. The kind that practically sighs into the cream. Russets in the U.S., Maris Piper or King Edward in the UK, and Sebago for my Aussie friends. These are the drama queens of the tuber world—breaking down just enough to meld seamlessly with the sauce while still holding their form in crisp-edged harmony.
Avoid waxy varieties. They’ll hold their shape like a stoic Victorian but refuse to play nicely with the cream. The result is a UFO of slippery, disconnected slices. Not the desired outcome unless you're catering a party for aliens.
Scalloped Potatoes vs. Potatoes au Gratin: The Showdown
Let’s settle this once and for all. Scalloped potatoes are respectable. Perhaps even charming. But they rely on a flour-thickened milk sauce—a roux, if you will. Useful? Yes. Transcendent? No.
Potatoes au Gratin, by contrast, is the high society version—the caviar of casseroles. It dispenses with flour entirely and says, “Let them eat cream!” With the addition of cheese, you’re not just thickening; you’re transforming. It’s alchemy with dairy.
If scalloped potatoes are a Sunday sweater, Potatoes au Gratin is a velvet smoking jacket.
A Brief History of Gratins
“Gratin” comes from the French word gratter, which means “to scrape.” Originally, this referred to the golden crust that forms at the bottom and edges of a dish—so prized that cooks would scrape up every last bit. The technique became associated with dishes topped with cheese or breadcrumbs and then baked to bubbly perfection.
The earliest gratin recipes appeared in French cookbooks in the 18th century. Over time, potatoes became a favorite base, particularly in Gratin Dauphinois, a regional specialty from southeastern France, traditionally made with raw sliced potatoes and cream (but no cheese!).
Serving Suggestion: A Fork, A Fire, and No One Watching
While Potatoes au Gratin makes a glorious side for roast beef, lamb, or even a crisp green salad if you must balance your sins, I must admit... some of my fondest memories involve eating it alone, directly from the dish, standing at the kitchen counter in my dressing gown, murmuring “just one more bite” for the twelfth time.
Fun Potatoes au Gratin Facts to Drop at Your Next Party
Julia Child famously introduced Americans to Gratin Dauphinois on her show The French Chef in the 1960s.
In some parts of France, adding cheese to Gratin Dauphinois is considered a culinary crime—but we say rules are made to be broken (especially when cheese is involved).
A well-made gratin is sometimes used as a benchmark in culinary school exams—it’s all about technique, timing, and restraint.
Final Thought: Why Everyone Should Master Potatoes au Gratin
It’s easy to make, impossible to resist, and—done right—utterly soul-stirring. It bridges the rustic and the refined, the casual and the celebratory.
In a world where everyone’s scrambling for kale chips and oat milk lattes, I say let us pause and pay homage to the mighty potato, cloaked in cream, swaddled in cheese, and kissed by golden fire.
Potatoes au Gratin, my friends. Not just a dish, but a declaration. A promise. A love letter baked in a 9x13 dish.
Ingredients:
1¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1¼ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup grated Gruyère cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare the Cheese Blend: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, combine the cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gruyère cheeses. Toss with cornstarch to evenly coat—this keeps your sauce smooth and luscious as it bakes. Assemble the Gratin: Shingle half the potatoes in a baking dish. Season with ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese blend. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, seasoning again with salt and pepper. Pour, Top, and Bake: Whisk together the heavy cream and chicken broth. Pour over the potatoes, then top with the remaining cheese mixture. Bake for 75–90 minutes until bubbling and deeply golden on top. A fork should glide through with ease. Rest, Then Serve: Let the gratin sit for 10 minutes. This helps everything set up beautifully so that each spoonful is rich, structured, and saucy.
Tips for success
Use Russets or Yukon Golds: Their starch helps thicken the sauce, creating that silky texture without needing a roux.
Slice Consistently: 1/8 inch is the sweet spot. Use a mandoline for even slices and even cooking.
Don’t Rinse the Potatoes: You want that natural starch to help bind the layers together.
Add Cornstarch to Cheese: Tossing shredded cheese with cornstarch keeps your sauce smooth and prevents clumping.
Let It Rest: After baking, a 10–15 minute rest lets everything settle and thickens the sauce for easier slicing.
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