Gratin Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes) - Jacques Pépin's recipe

Gratin Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes)

This week, the members of I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) are making Jacques Pépin's recipes featuring cheese! We are bringing out the cheese and let it shine! Quoting the admin: Here are a few French cheeses just to get you thinking about all the fun options: Brie, Camembert, Comté, Emmental, Fromage Blanc, Roquefort, Neufchâtel, Chèvre, Boursin, and Gruyère are among the most classic French cheeses but feel free to use any cheese you like!

At the same time, Little Thumbs Up is celebrating June (my birthday month! :P) with the theme CREAM! Quoting the host, Diana: Simply cook or roast any recipe using cream, including: heavy cream, coconut cream, whipping cream, thickened cream, pure cream, clotted cream, sour cream, double cream, and single cream.

Cheese and cream. Nothing can go wrong with this combo! So, I choose Jacques Pépin's Gratin Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes), a baked dish that my 21.5mo toddler will love to eat as well. :)

Recipe adapted from The Great Cooks Cookbook.

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

1 large Russet potato
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 cup full cream milk
1/2 cup cooking cream (I used Emborg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

How to:

1. Peel the potato, wash and dry thoroughly. Cut into thin slices.
Note: Do not soak the potatoes in water or they will lose the starch needed for the dish to be smooth.

2. In a heavy saucepan, combine the potato slices with chopped garlic, milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching. The mixture will thicken slightly; remove from heat.

3. Preheat oven to 200°C. Butter a small glass gratin dish, about 1 & 1/2” deep, and pour in the potato mixture. Sprinkle cheese all over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and fork-tender.

4. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.