Potatoes dauphinoise are less of a home cooking staple than their mashed or roasted counterparts, falling into the same category as cauliflower cheese. This creamy and indulgent dish is often reserved for weekend meals when time is no obstacle, like the humble Sunday roast. But there is room to incorporate this easy meal into your weeknight rotation with a simple change, says cooking icon Prue Leith. Her dauphinoise recipe, shared on behalf of her cooking school, Leiths, suggests that the French dish works with “any root vegetable”.
Though typically made with potato, which has a high starch content that holds the dauphinoise together better than other root vegetables, you can use a “combination of potato and another root” to make an “excellent dish”. As for what to choose, there are plenty of seasonal vegetables to select from, including celeriac, sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, and parsnip.
How to make potatoes dauphinoise
Preheat your oven to 170°C (gas mark 3). Start by washing and peeling the potatoes, then slicing them thinly—using a mandolin can help for precision.
Meanwhile, halve and peel the onion, then slice it thinly. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cover the pan with a lid to sweat the onions until it is soft.
If using garlic, crush it and add it to the pan, cooking with the onion for an additional minute. Now pour in both creams, the milk, and a pinch of nutmeg, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Add the sliced potatoes along with some salt and pepper, and leave to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The potatoes should start to soften, and the cream should thicken before you transfer it to a buttered ovenproof dish.
Spreading the potatoes evenly. Bake uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Ensure the potatoes are tender before removing them from the oven.
Leith’s cookery school suggests that slow cooking is best for optimal results.
