A GREAT recipe using garlic is the classic Gratin Dauphinoise. It tastes - and looks - really classy and makes you look like a top chef to impress your guests. More to the point, it’s dead easy.
Lots of recipes suggest using half milk and half cream, but forget that nonsense - double cream all the way. Far better!
INGREDIENTS:
Manx potatoes (choose a variety which holds together like King Edward)
500ml Manx double cream
2 cloves garlic crushed (more if you like!)
salt and pepper
METHOD:
1. Slice the potatoes thinly and place in a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cover with a lid and then turn the heat off, but keep an eye on the potatoes as they must not over-cook and break up.
2. While the potatoes are cooking take a knob of butter, add the crushed garlic and gently cook for 1 minute. Add the double cream, salt and pepper. Cook gently for another 4-5 minutes. Do not allow to boil. When the mixture starts to thicken take off the heat.
3. Drain the potatoes and rinse in cold water. Set to one side. Pat dry with a tea-towel.
4. Butter a deep dish and put in a layer of potatoes, season lightly and then cover with the cream and garlic mixture. Repeat the process until all the potatoes and cream have been used. Top with a few knobs of butter.
5. Place in a medium hot oven (375, gas mark 5) for 20-30 minutes, checking to see it doesn’t over-cook as the cream and butter mixture will split if it gets too hot. The dauphinoise should just be browned slightly on top. Take out of the oven and leave for 15 minutes. You can also sprinkle the dauphinoise with some Manx cheese (mature cheddar is best) at this point, but it’s not the way they do it in France, so it's down to personal taste.
6. This is fantastic served with all sorts of dishes and probably goes best as a simple side-dish with roast meats such as pork, beef and lamb. It's really lovely with belly pork.
Manx Gratin Dauphinoise is also fabulous served cold with salad, but this might not to be to everyone’s taste. It's also great when re-heated the next day. You can also make it look really "chefy" the next day by using a cutter and creating a neat circle and then grill it gently. To be honest, a bowl of this on its own is a little piece of heaven and could persuade many a chef to turn vegetarian!
Recipe by Bill Dale
