Looking outside, I’m reminded of the classic Christmas song, “Let It Snow”, beginning with the immortal line “The weather outside is frightful…”

Well it is rather, which means you have the perfect excuse to enjoy a bowlful of Dauphinois Potatoes (D.P’s), not that you need one. 

D.P’s are serious comfort food, but hey, this weather is serious, so why not enjoy them with your Sunday lunch? They work especially well with roast lamb or duck.

I have a deep fondness for D.P’s. Just thinking about eating a bowlful is enough to make my feet pad contentedly like a cat. They’re my all time favourite potato dish. So much so, I could happily wallow in a bath full of them!

I am not alone in my appreciation, D.P fans spread far and wide. More rare however, is finding a genuine recipe. By that I don’t mean some bastardised version containing everything but the kitchen sink.

As is often the case, (cooking included) the old adage – less is more, remains true.  Too many ingredients spoil the dish! Particularly apt  in the case of dauphinois potatoes.

If you like yours to contain all manner of ingredients, turn away now because you won’t find any herbs, onions, or cheese of any description in the recipe I’m about to give you. Although I’ll grudgingly make cheese an exception if you’re vegetarian or you’re not eating them with anything else!

What you will get in this recipe are layer upon layer of thinly sliced potatoes, generously bathed in a pool of seasoned cream infused with garlic. A simple dish just as the French intended.

Where this recipe stands out above others I have tried is the simple way it’s put together, coupled with the gentle baking treatment. And the result? Tender potatoes with a glorious coating of cream, the consistency of a gooey crème brulee.  Not curdled, not dry and not interfered with. What more could you want?

Serving Size: 4 people as a side dish
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Effort Level: A little effort
Shelf Life: Best eaten straight away but will keep 2 days in fridge.

Ingredients:
400g waxy potatoes such as Cara work best
2 garlic cloves
300ml double cream
2 tbsp milk
salt and freshly ground pepper

Equipment:
Cheese grater
Chopping board & sharp knife
Oven proof dish 23cm x 23 cm

Here’s What You Do:
Pre-heat the oven to 130C/250F/Gas ½

Finely chop the garlic cloves and stir into the pot of cream. Add the milk and season well with salt and pepper.

Peel the potatoes and slice thinly by running them over the three blades found on the side of a cheese grater.

Next, tip the potato slices into the oven proof dish and pour over the seasoned cream. Mix the potatoes and cream together until all the slices are thoroughly coated and the top potato layer is fully submerged under a thin layer of cream.

Carefully slide the dish onto the bottom oven shelf and cook gently for 1½ hours.

Allow to rest a couple of minutes before serving. Yummy

Tags: cream, garlic