Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes + Chicken Stock Variation

I’ve always been put off making Dauphinoise potatoes because recipes I’ve previously come across require laboriously layering very thin slices of raw potatoes, neatly and evenly, before pouring cream over them and baking for absolutely ages.

But recently, I learned a far quicker and easier method, which fits perfectly with my impatient style of cooking and my satisfaction with more rustic dishes.

My mum and I recently won a day’s class at the Waitrose Cookery School. We cooked several dishes in the morning including coquilles St Jacques, roast rack of lamb and peas braised with little gem lettuce and bacon. We even made a fancy lemon tart with fruit salad and orange zest tuile. But my favourite dish of the day was the potato Dauphinoise which was a revelation in easy cooking and delicious dining.

I’ve since searched the web and encountered many variations of this easier recipe.

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The recipe ingredient amounts in the cookery school recipe are for a kilo of potatoes. The first time I made it, I halved the amounts (as we did in class) and made enough for three (greedy) servings.

The first time I made this at home, I followed the recipe exactly.

The second time, I substituted home made chicken stock for the milk (as I had some that needed using) and that worked very well.

 

Easy Potato Dauphinoise

Ingredients
500-600 grams peeled large waxy potato such as Desiree
200 ml double cream
200 ml full fat milk *
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
Salt and pepper

*Chicken stock alternative: substitute milk for the same volume of chicken stock.

Method

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  • In a large sauce pan place the double cream, milk, garlic, salt and pepper on a gentle heat.

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  • Peel the potatoes and slice reasonably thinly. If you have a mandolin, that would probably make this quicker, though as my slices were about 3 mm thick, it didn’t take long by hand.
  • Preheat the oven to 170 C.

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  • Add the potato slices into the cream and milk and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potato slices have softened a little.

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  • Use a slatted spoon to transfer the potatoes into an oven dish, so that the slices are reasonably flat. Don’t worry about being too neat, but try and get an even height across the dish. Pour or spoon the remainder of the thickened cream and milk over the potatoes.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes.

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  • Check if done by inserting a knife into the dish; the potatoes should feel soft all the way through.

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  • The dish will stay hot for several minutes before serving, if you need time to finish other elements of the dish.

 

I’m entering this recipe into Family Friendly Fridays, hosted this month by Pebble Soup.

Please leave a comment - I love hearing from you!
20 Comments to "Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes + Chicken Stock Variation"

  1. Gary

    What a great recipe 🙂 I’m interested in your meat though, what a beautiful shocking crimson piece of beef!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Gary, I think on that day, I’d gone to buy a boned rib of beef but there hadn’t been any left, so I’d asked for a thick cut sirloin steak from the meat counter. I roasted it whole and then cut it in half after cooking, into two steaks. It’s cut side top most on the plate. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Ozzy

    That’s pretty much how I make it, except that I add a layer of grated cheddar on top.
    However, I’ve recently switched to Boulangere Potatoes (layer potato slices with softened sliced onions, fill up with chicken stock, bake), less rich and very tasty.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I find it doesn’t need any cheese, so rich as it is. Boulangere also nice. Mmmm!

    Reply
  3. Debs @ The Spanish Wok

    Girl after my own heart “easy cooking methods” LOL

    I do similar to this, except I par boil slices of potato in stock. Place a layer of potato in dish with grated cheese and season, add a little cream and stock, then carry. on with more layers. Finish with cream and top with more grated cheese. Heaven on a plate.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    For me, the reason I like this recipe is precisely because I don’t need to do any layering. That’s what puts me off other recipes, to be honest. 🙂

    Reply
  4. @milliepaw

    One of my favourites, I do not mind doing the layering and mandolin does make the cutting faster. I do like the idea of cooking the potatoes a bit first.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Yeah I don’t have a mandolin, but would definitely speed this up even more.
    Cooking the potatoes first makes a huge difference to overall cooking time, and also one puts them straight into the oven still hot from the stove top, so they don’t have to come to temperature…

    Reply
  5. Daily Spud

    It’s definitely a much easier way of doing it – suits my way of cooking too! I’m also a fan of a version that uses beer instead of stock, along with some onions and finished with a bit of cream – ahhhh 🙂 x

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    You’re not the first to recommend I add some onions in, shall do that next time. Like the beer idea too! Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Richard

    Hi Kavey!
    I have done this method quite a few times (I believe I saw Garry Rhodes do it in one of his programmes) and it certainly does cut down the cooking time, I also have a slicer attachment to my moulinette and I can do 1kg of potatoes in about 2 minutes, I used to use a mandoline, but since using the slicer, it has become almost redundant, I say almost, as for very, very paper thin slices I think the only way is with a mandoline.

    I normally give mine a scraping of nutmeg when it goes into the oven.

    “except that I add a layer of grated cheddar on top”

    I believe that cheese does not belong in a true Dauphinoise, the full fat milk and double cream are quite sufficient to form a thick layer. Living in Germany double cream is very hard to come by so I use creme fraiche, which gives it sourish tang!

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    I prefer without cheese too, I think. It’s rich enough as is, and this coming from a cheese addict!

    I must check how my Magimix does with slicing potatoes, as there is a slicing disc but I’ve not tried it for spuds before. I don’t mind slightly thicker slices for this, as I think they work well for the rustic style…

    Reply
  7. Simple Recipes UK

    If there is one thing I cannot resist, it’s a scrummy spud recipe. I love potatoes dauphinoise with a good piece of roast beef! Going to try your recipe for supper with family this weekend. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. sue taylor

    Thanks so much for the simple method. I used a food-processor for slicing, and semi-skimmed milk and a little single cream, just to cut down the calories, baked it at Gas3-4 for an hour, and razzed up the heat for the final five mins. Everyone had seconds, and relished every mouthful. 10/10. x

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    You’re most welcome, glad you enjoyed. Have since heard that this quick variation has been shared by quite a few chefs/ cookery book authors, but this was my first encounter with it.

    Reply
  9. sue taylor

    Hi Kavey, It was so darn good I`ve volunteered to produce enough for fifteen of us at my brother`s home on Boxing Day fifty miles away… d`you think it`d freeze okay, or should I make it on the day?
    And reheating, from room temperature, what temp and how long, IF you`ve time?

    I bought the Joseph Hedgehog grater for my daughter today, so thanks for that, too. x

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Hi Sue

    Lovely. Think it’d be delicious for Boxing day. Honestly, I have no idea on freezing as I’ve not tried it, but can’t see why not. If I were to try it, I’d probably make it through to the step when you transfer it from pan into baking dish and then freeze it at that point. Then, you could either cook from frozen (perhaps longer and lower temperature than original) or defrost first and cook as normal. But as I say, I’ve not frozen it myself. I have stored leftovers in the fridge and reheated the next day, and they’re still delicious, though just a touch less wet than the first day.

    And you’re welcome, glad the Christmas Gift Guide is helpful.

    Reply
  10. sue taylor

    Hi Kavey,
    I`ll try freezing at stage one, as you suggest – I`ve just time to `experiment`. I`ll let you know how I get on. Thanks again.

    Reply
    kaveyeats

    Thanks and sorry I can’t give more precise information, I’ve never tried this. Would very much welcome your feedback once you’ve tried. Thanks and good luck. x

    Reply

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