Sunday
Dauphinois potatoes
Wafer-thin potato slices baked in garlic cream until the top blisters gold and the middle is silk. My new Sunday jam. Recipe by Chef Nagi Maehashi.
Slice as thinly as you can — a mandoline is worth it. This is the one I make when I want people to swoon.
Method
- 01
Heat the oven to 160°C fan. Butter a wide ovenproof dish generously.
- 02
Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible — 2-3mm on a mandoline is perfect. Do NOT rinse them; the starch is what thickens the cream.
- 03
Put the cream, milk, garlic, thyme, bay, a good grating of nutmeg, salt and pepper into a wide pan. Add the potato slices and bring gently to a simmer, stirring carefully so nothing catches. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the potatoes are just starting to soften and the liquid has thickened slightly.
- 04
Fish out the herbs and garlic. Tip everything into the buttered dish, pressing the top layer down flat so it sits under the cream. Scatter with Gruyère if using.
- 05
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until deep golden on top, bubbling around the edges and a knife slides straight through.
- 06
Rest for 10 minutes before serving — it needs a moment to set into layers.
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