Potato Dauphinoise and Yeasted Cauliflower

Having originally made this dish for some friends as part of our garden dinner gatherings, we ended up eating the whole thing before I had a chance to photograph it for the blog. So, for you, I decided I just had to make (and eat) it again! Purely for your benefit I hope you understand.

As usual, I’d like to discuss my approach to the elements of this meal, but if you’d prefer to crack on to the recipe and make one yourself, scroll down and ignore what I’m about to say.

So, potato dauphinoise (or gratin dauphinoise*, which it is sometimes called), is a dish who’s flavour profile firmly sits in the realms of creamy. Rich fats like crème fraiche, yoghurt and cream as well as starchy vegetables like potato, turnip and parsnip all belong to this grouping, and so balance very nicely with acidity and are boosted by umami and salt. As I wanted to avoid the use of cheese for this particular version, I decided to top the dauph with a yeasted cauliflower, introducing a crispy texture and boost of umami. For those who don’t know, yeasted can mean ‘made with yeast’ like a bread, but in this instance I’m referring to the use of yeast extract, where the yeast enzymes have been used to break down the yeast itself instead of another food source (such as flour). Pair this with some lightly fragrant aromatics like nutmeg and mustard, and the dauph is ready to go. Next, I wanted something small and rich to help dress the plate and add that much needed acidity. A standard red wine reduction fit the bill, simmered with a sprig of fresh rosemary. And lastly, as I had the oven on already, I popped some asparagus on the tray along side the dauph for the last 10 minutes with a hearty pinch of seasoning. Cooked this way, the asparagus tastes sweet, complimenting the other elements of the dish.

*The technique we will be using for this recipe is called gratin, wherein something is baked with a crust on top.

Now you might be thinking that you’d like more than a single potato’s worth of dauphinoise and I quite agree! So in the ingredients list below I’ve included two sets of measurements. The first is to make a single portion as seen in the photos. The other will make enough for a family of four in a high sided baking tray.

Before we hop straight into this recipe, a word on starch. How well your dauphinoise sets depends on the time of year and the type of potato you pick. You want to find the most starchy you can. Desiree, Russet, Maris Piper and King Edward are all great choices, but depending on the time of year these might not all be available or at their most floury. When potatoes are younger they tend to hold more water, making them ideal for salads and a poor choice for baking or frying. A little trick I like to use if I’m faced with a potato crisis like this is to buy potato starch (or corn flour if you can’t find potato starch). Mixing 2tsp into your cream before bringing it to the boil will be enough to help set the dish once it’s baked.

Potato Dauphinoise Recipe
Serves 1 / 4

Dauphinoise:

• 1 / 3 Large potatoes

• 125ml / 485ml Single cream (or soy cream)

• 150ml / 450ml Milk

• 1 / 3 Cloves of garlic, crushed

• A pinch of nutmeg

• 0.5tsp / 2tsp Wholegrain mustard

• Salt and pepper

• 1 floret / half a cauliflower

• 0.5tsp / 1.5tsp Yeast extract

• 10ml / 30ml Rapeseed oil

Red wine reduction:

• 30ml / 150ml Red wine (something fruity and light)

• A sprig of fresh rosemary

• A pinch / 1tsp of Demerara sugar or date syrup

Extras:

• As much asparagus as you’d like

• Pea shoots to decorate

Equipment:

• Baking tray

• Baking parchement

• Optional: Tart ring

Step 1.

Preheat the oven at 160C / 320F whilst you measure out your cream and milk into a saucepan. Add the mustard, nutmeg, seasoning and crushed garlic, then place it on the hob over a medium heat until it comes to a simmer. If using extra starch, add it here before heating and keep an eye not to let it stick to the bottom of the pan as it thickens.

Step 2.

Whilst the cream heats, peel the potatoes and thinly slice them using a mandoline. Store the slices in a bowl of cold water to stop them discolouring whilst you wait for the cream and oven to get hot.

Step 3.

Line a baking tray (or a tart ring) with baking parchment and layer the sliced potatoes up, trying not to leave any large gaps, until the container is full. Pour the hot cream mixture over the potatoes until they’re covered by just 1mm of the sauce. Place it on the middle shelf of your oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Tip: If your tray looks rather full, place another one on the bottom of the oven to catch any overflow.

Step 4.

Whilst the dauphinoise bakes, grate the raw cauliflower into a bowl and mix it by hand with the oil and yeast extract until the oil has loosened up the yeast extract and covered everything in a light coating. Set aside until the 30 minutes are up, the lightly sprinkle over the top of your dauphinoise. Turn the oven up to 180C / 355F and continue to bake for another 30 minutes.

Step 5.

Add the red wine to a small saucepan with the rosemary and sugar. Turn the hob on a medium heat and reduce slowly for 30 minutes until the wine is the consistency of syrup. If you notice it is thickening too quickly, loosen it with 50ml of stock before you continue to reduce. When finished, remove the rosemary.*

*If infusing something with a hard herb like rosemary, the wooden part of the herb will impart a bitter flavour when heated. To avoid this, either use fresh growth or pull the leaves from the stick. Don’t throw the woody part away though as this can be used to cold infuse with dressing oils.

Step 6.

10 minutes before the dauphinoise is due to come out of the oven, snap the woody base off the asparagus and pop them on a baking tray with a small glug of oil and seasoning. Place them on the top tray of the oven and let them roast for 10-15 minutes, turning them half way through.

Step 7.

Check the dauphinoise is cooked through by inserting a knife into the centre. The potato should be soft enough not to offer any resistance to the blade. Gently portion and remove the dauph from it’s tray and place it on a plate. Get creative with your red wine reduction and pea shoots, then place the asparagus on the side. If you have any unset cream left in the bottom of the baking dish, spoon it over the dauph as a sauce.

Tip: If you have any leftover dauphinoise, cover it and store it in the fridge. The following day, cut it into portions and reheat it by lining a small tray and putting it in the oven at 210C / 410F for 8-9 minutes. This is great as it crisps up the exposed potato along the edges and base.