Potato Gratin Dauphinois

Adapted from A Passion for Potatoes by Lydie Marshall

Serves 4 to 6

This is the only recipe I use from this book, but it's so good I think I'm going to read the book cover-to-cover looking for other treats.

You must use some kind of mandolin - even a plastic one - to slice the potatoes thin enough. This is deliriously good. Note there is no cheese of any kind in this dish.

1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced (or 1 large garlic clove cut in half)
2 pounds (6 cups) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch to 1/16 inch thick (I use a Benriner mandoline for this)
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ cups half-and-half
1 tablespoons cold butter
1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 2-quart rectangular or oval dish (Pyrex works fine). Scatter the minced garlic in the dish, or rub a cut garlic clove around the dish.

Put three overlapping layers of potatoes in the pan, lightly sprinkling salt between each layer. Slowly pour the half-and-half over the potatoes, barely covering them. Dot the top with butter.

Put the dish in the oven, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, and pour the heavy cream on top of the potatoes, tilting the pan back and forth to baste the top layer. Bake for another 45 minutes or until the top is golden.

Print recipe.