Swede Dauphinoise Recipes

ULTIMATE GRATIN DAUPHINOIS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 4/fan oven 140C. Rub the butter all over the surface of a gratin dish, about 18x28cm/7x11in. Peel and slice the potatoes to a width of 3mm/1⁄8in. Lay the slices on a clean tea towel and pat dry. Keep them covered with the tea towel while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the garlic, thyme and shallot (if using). Slowly heat the milk and, just as it is about to reach boiling point and you see bubbles appearing around the edge of the pan, remove it from the heat. Strain the liquid into a large jug, sprinkle in the nutmeg and keep warm.
• Layer half the potato slices in the dish, slightly overlapping the slices and sprinkling with a little salt and freshly ground pepper between each layer. You don't have to be too neat with the lower layers, but keep some of your best slices for later, so the top looks good.
• Pour half the hot milk and cream over the potatoes, then finish off layering the rest of the potatoes (arranging them a bit more carefully this time). Pour over the rest of the hot milk and cream. Scatter the cheese over the top and bake for about one hour, until golden and tender. Leave the dish to stand for about 5 minutes, then serve sprinkled with a few fresh thyme leaves.

SMOKED HADDOCK DAUPHINOISE

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. Drain well. Tip the potatoes back into the pan and pour over the cream, then add the thyme, two-thirds of the parmesan and the haddock. Season and gently mix everything together.
• Butter a medium-sized gratin dish, then tip in the potato mixture. Scatter with the remaining parmesan. Will keep covered and chilled for a day or frozen for three months. Defrost fully before cooking.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake for 30-35 mins until golden and bubbling around the edges. Leave to cool for at least 5 mins, then serve straight from the dish with a dressed watercress salad on the side, if you like. Scatter with some extra thyme and grind over some black pepper to serve.

CELERIAC DAUPHINOISE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and oil a medium baking dish. Whisk the cream, milk and mustard together with some salt and pepper.
• Layer the celeriac slices in the baking dish, seasoning between each layer and tucking a little garlic and thyme between the slices until everything has been used. Pour over the cream mixture and bake for 1 hr 30 mins, or until the celeriac is tender and a knife can easily slide through. Let stand for 5 mins before serving. If making ahead, leave to cool, then reheat, covered, at 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 for 20 mins or until piping hot.