#TasteofThursday Au Comptoir recipe – Gratin Dauphinoise

 

‘Gratin Dauphinoise’ 

 

Dauphinoise Potatoes

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

1½ kg (roughly 5 large) Potatoes (Chef Dan likes Yukon Gold, though you could even use sweet potatoes, celery root or parsnips)

400 mL Heavy Cream

2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

1 clove Garlic, crushed

2 sprigs Fresh Thyme

1 tsp Black Peppercorn, whole

1 cup Gruyère Cheese, grated

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Wash and peel potatoes, and slice very thin (approx. 1/8-inch).
3. In a small saucepan set to low heat, gently heat the cream, salt, garlic, thyme, and black peppercorn. Allow to gently simmer for approximately 10 minutes to infuse flavours. Strain off to remove any larger chunks, set aside and keep warm.
4. In an ovenproof dish, carefully layer potatoes in a pinwheel pattern. After every two layers, add small amount of cream and a sprinkle of the gruyère (be sure to reserve half the gruyère for finishing). Repeat until all potatoes have been layered. Sprinkle the remaining gruyère over the top of the potatoes.
5. Place your potatoes on a sheet pan to catch any bubbling cream or cheese, and bake in the oven for approximately 1-2 hours (cooking time will vary greatly depending on the deepness of your dish, so test doneness with a butter knife — it should slide in and out without any resistance).
6. Once the potatoes are cooked through, switch your oven setting to broil and allow the top layer of cheese crisp until it turns a deep golden brown colour. Serve immediately.

 

By Dan McGee, Chef, Au Comptoir

Executive Chef

Although born and raised on Vancouver’s North Shore, Daniel McGee has nurtured an abiding passion for the delicate and celebrated nuances of French cooking ever since he embarked on his culinary career more than 15 years ago.

Before opening Au Comptoir with co-owners Maxime Bettili and Julien Aubin in 2014, Daniel honed his culinary skills and knowledge of the fine art of traditional French cooking in a number of notable Vancouver restaurants, first as Chef de Partie at Bacchus at the Wedgewood Hotel and then as Sous Chef at both Pied-â-Terre and PiDGiN.

Just as Au Comptoir’s front-of-house staff has cultivated a reputation for recreating the same quintessentially Parisien atmosphere and attention to detail for which the City of Light’s cafés are renowned the world over, Daniel’s joie de vivre in the kitchen has also garnered the restaurant rave reviews thanks to his West Coast-inspired takes on classic French bistro fare. Whether it’s le petit déjeuner, le brunch or le dîner, Daniel’s menu offers a memorable array of French classics featuring the best fresh, organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, all while using Vancouver’s coast, farms and pastures as his inspiration.

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