Gratin dauphinois

History

The first mention of the dish is from 12 July 1788. It was served with ortolans at a dinner given by Charles-Henri, Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre and lieutenant-general of the Dauphiné, for the municipal officials of the town of Gap, now in the département of Hautes-Alpes.

Preparation

Gratin dauphinois is made with thinly sliced raw potatoes and cream, cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic; cheese is sometimes added for the Savoyard sister dish. The potatoes are peeled and sliced to the thickness of a coin, usually with a mandoline. They are layered in a shallow earthenware or glass baking dish and cooked in a slow oven; the heat is raised for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

By tradition, the gratin dauphinois does not include cheese, which would make it more similar to a gratin savoyard (which does not include cream). Recipes given by many chefs – including Auguste Escoffier, Austin de Croze and Constance Spry – call for cheese and eggs; others such as Robert Carrier specify cheese but no egg.

The gratin dauphinois is distinguished from ordinary gratin potatoes by the use of raw rather than boiled potatoes. It is a quite different dish from pommes dauphine.

References

References

1. Alan Davidson (1999). ''The Oxford Companion to Food''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{isbn. 9780192115799.
2. John Ayto (1993). [https://archive.org/details/dinersdictionary00ayto/page/151/mode/1up ''The Diner's Dictionary: Food and Drink from A to Z'']. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{isbn. 9780198661931.
3. Elvia Firuski, Maurice Firuski (editors) (1952). ''The Best of Boulestin''. London: William Heinemann.
4. Robert Carrier (1963). ''Great Dishes of the World''. London: Nelson.
5. Constance Spry, Rosemary Hume (1979 [1956]). ''The Constance Spry Cookery Book''. London: Pan Books. {{isbn. 0330233106.
6. [[Peter John Graham. Peter Graham]] (2008 [1988]). [https://archive.org/details/classiccheesecoo0000grah/page/263/mode/1up ''Classic Cheese Cookery'']. Harmonsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books. {{isbn. 9780140467505.
7. Prosper Montagné (1977). ''New Larousse Gastronomique''. London; New York; Sydney; Toronto: Hamlyn. {{isbn. 060036545X.
8. Elizabeth David (1964 [1960]). ''French Provincial Cooking''. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
9. Elizabeth Luard (1986). ''European Peasant Cookery'' London: Corgi. {{isbn. 0593010442.
10. Claude Muller (2001). ''Les mystères du Dauphiné'' (in French). Clermont-Ferrand: Éditions de Borée. {{ISBN. 9782844940865.