We had a surfeit of cream and I am now digging into my row of Charlotte potatoes. A good time to make gratin Dauphinois. It needs only a simple meat dish such as grilled lamb chops to accompany it and a green salad to follow.

Elizabeth David writes a brilliant essay on gratin Dauphiois as part of her recipe in French Provisional Cooking. Like her, I use only potatoes and cream, not eggs or cheese than some recipes include.

500g yellow potatoes, such as King Edwards, Charlotte or Pink Fir Apple,
200ml single cream
Butter
Garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and slice the potatoes, preferably using a mandoline, into rounds no thicker than a coin (ED measures against an old penny), Rinse them in cold water and then shake them dry in a cloth.

Using preferably a shallow, round earthenware dish (ED uses a tian), rub the dish with butter and garlic and then place in it the potato slices, filling up the dish to within a thumb’s width of the top. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the cream. Dot the top with more butter.

Cook in a low/medium (about 150°C) for 1½ hours or until the potatoes are soft. The exact time much depends on the variety of potato. Turn up the heat for the last 10 minutes of cooking to get a ‘fine golden crust on the potatoes’.

This recipe would be enough for two or three. but if cooking for a larger quantity the amount of cream can be reduced in proportion to the quantity of potatoes.