Apart from the great question, how much is too much, the other one I need help with is do you partly cook the potatoes beforehand or do you not bother and just sling it all in the oven for longer and get on with your life? I’m a precooker but happy to be persuaded otherwise

…fires up MFP, wonders how long it’s going to take 🙁

Serves 1.

Me.

Cook them in the cream and milk first , simmering for around 7 -10 mins.

Food coma coming up tonight ? 🙂

Depends how thick your slices are, but I would have said those will cook in the oven.

No pre cook, just wash in cold water to remove some of the starch. Warm the cream and garlic on the stove though.

Warm the cream and garlic on the stove though.

That might be a good alternative option. Fortunately just remembered to remove the garlic cloves before putting it in the tray otherwise someone would have got a bit of a shock

Depends how thick your slices are, but I would have said those will cook in the oven

3mm. Is there an optimum size?

why am I now feeling hungry?

Ah but you want the starch from the potatoes into the sauce to thicken it , hence the pre cook. If you like a thicker sauce of course

I don’t pre cook the spuds but I do warm the cream and milk. Rub a crushed garlic clove around the dish and grease with butter. Layer up, dot with butter, sprinkle with nutmeg and in the oven.

No pre-cook, no milk.

hence the pre cook. If you like a thicker sauce of course

So the precook gets more of the starch out? I was wondering if it would just come out anyway with the longer cook in the oven

yes, I want starch. Lots of it

edit:double p thingie

I don’t pre cook the spuds but I do warm the cream and milk

So, for the no-precookers, how long do you cook it for?

I used to make this with Boursin/cream/milk mix. I found that unless I precooked the potatoes, they would be raw, even after an hour and half in the oven. I ended up slicing the potatoes, then parboiling until they were nearly cooked as hardly anything happened once they were in the oven. It might be different if you have a mandolin to slice them really thin, or it the liquid is not as creamy?

It’s a minging dish if the potatoes are not cooked, so allow plenty of time. I used foil on for the first 30mins,then another 25mins without foil to brown the top.

I use Raymond Blanc’s recipe from French Cooking Made Simple (BBC books) which has many simple and very tasty recipes) This has the approval of my French wife 🙂

Couple of key tips

Yes pre-cook (as above 7-10 mins) in cream (25%) full fat milk (75%) mix stirring every couple of mins to prevent sticking. Milk/cream/nutmeg brought to boil before adding potatoes
Do not wash the potatoes after slicing (starch is good for result)
Add grated cheese after cooking in pot and stir in well.
Rub baking dish with garlic slice

You can pre cook for say 3/4 of the time and reheat just before serving.

You can never make too much, we had enough for 3 meals inc Christmas day

You can never make too much, we had enough for 3 meals inc Christmas day

You must have a very small family, a very big pot or tremendous self control

Sounds pretty much like what I’ve done except for the cheese bit. Not sure I’m ready to go there yet.

Consensus seems to be pre-cook but the only person I know that could be considered a pro cook did it without the precooking. However that was for a huge quantity of people so in that case the trade off might be worth it

We did have lots of other food too 🙂

You shouod give it a try. Gruyere is great, this year we toned it down with 50% Emmental. Will photo the receipe amd send it over when next home in a few weeks.

I add melted goose fat and rosemary to mine. Gracelessly stolen from my Michelin starred friend. Last time he served it to me, I complained there wasn’t enough, and he said he had metre the portion for the sake of my health 🙂

I add melted goose fat and rosemary to mine

This whole forum is worth it for that piece of information alone. Awesome. I may need to throw away what I’ve just made and start again*

But, do you precook the tatties?

*that may be a lie

No pre cooking for me (after all it can sit in the oven as long as necessary to fully cook) but I bought a mandolin solely for thinly slicing the spuds after first eating James’ dauph as he does.

He was also very particular over the spud variety, but I’ve forgotten which one. Might be marfonia

Thanks for the idea! This is just what I need to go with my venison rack. Think I will pre-cook a bit as the meat should be v quick (also, prefer thickish slices).

It should be a simple dish, so no pre-cooking for me. Plenty of liquid and cook low and slow, ramp up the heat with the lid off for 10-15 mins before serving.

ok. looks like i’m heading for a trial on no-precooking, goose fat, rosemary and foil on the top to ensure the top layer gets cooked as that’s always the problem that I’ve had before – a mushy bottom (oo-er) and undercooked top

Now it’s getting bad. Where are the guests…

edit:

Plenty of liquid and cook low and slow

Does it not end up runny then? That’s equally bad

I use this receipt from Greg Wallace .

No pre cooking or warming of liquids.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/potato_dauphinoise_27289

I don’t like mine too wet. More fat (think roasting / baking spuds than boiling) than fluid, but there’s lots of different approaches.

Edit, as per Petes recipe link, it’s maris piper not marfonia

I use the bbc recipe too, no pre-cooking needed.

Maris Piper or Desire are good for Dauphinoise

edit:
Plenty of liquid and cook low and slow
Does it not end up runny then? That’s equally bad

Obviously not too much, but if the liquid doesn’t cover them they’ll dry and burn.

A second for the mandolin. Gets the slices even and thin and thus helps them to be evenly cooked. I put one on the Christmas list fwiw

Desire

Yep – normal choice of champions along with the mandolin.

Now just got to check they are ok 🙂

I don’t precook the potatoes just slice using the magimix or a mandolin. I recently made a cheese potato bake, with bacon, onions and celery which was kind of a British version of a tartiflette – it went straight to no 1 of the family favourites.

I never see Desires in the shops these days.

…just gone online and ordered a mandoline …

No precook, use Nigel Slater classic recipe – lots of butter, garlic & double cream for the win… But darn it I too really need a mandoline… 😉

So, for the no-precookers, how long do you cook it for?

45-60 mins here.

I had a mandoline once but it was a cheap and cheerful and didn’t last. I find after much practice I can now slice thinly with a chef’s knife.

I find after much practice I can now slice thinly with a chef’s knife.

But a mandoline is usually faster, at least for me

And thanks for the info. I’m going to give it a shot just for the excuse of making some more 🙂

@leffe, if I may be so bold do you have a shallower oven dish ? The (very nice) pan you are using means, in my humble opinion, the mixture is too deep. That may be why you are having issues with even cooking. Also its depe so surface potatoes are not getitng direct hot air to brown them ?

John Lewis Sale: Ovenproof dish

@leffe, if I may be so bold do you have a shallower oven dish ?

Ah, but that was the just the pan I was pre-boiling in. They then went into a rather huge oven dish. I would post a picture but I have now scoffed the lot (with some help it has to be said). Bargaintastic dish from JL though

🙂 Got it, was speculating as to perhaps why even cooking was an issue/question …

BTW, I know it’s a bit low brow, and comes from the upper numbers of the TV Channel guide, but the JML V slicer is what I got for the job and it’s good at it.

Two slices thicknesses, and the ability to “chip” which is great with courgettes.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8428897.htm

Takes a bit of getting used but once you have the knack it’s very quick.

That is not even slightly close to niche enough for here – away with your simple stuff 🙂

(agree with the courgette bit – that is a great feature)