Mary Berrys Cheese Topped Dauphinois Potatoes Recipes

MARY BERRY'S CHEESE-TOPPED DAUPHINOIS POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Peel the potatoes and rinse under cold water, then dry and slice very thinly by hand or with the slicer attachment on a processor. Put the stock into a large jug and mix with the cream.
• Arrange a layer of potato over the base of the tin, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour over a little of the stock mixture. Continue in the same way until the potato and liquid are used up. Dot the butter over the top and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until soft around the edges but still firm in the middle. Remove the foil and cook for a further 25--30 minutes or until golden and tender. Leave to cool, then chill - overnight is best.
• Choose a lipped board or tray that's bigger than the roasting tin (so it will catch any juices) and place on a worktop. Carefully tip the roasting tin upside down on to it and remove the paper. Cut the potatoes into even-sized servings, arrange on a greased or paper-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle the cheese on top.
• Reheat in an oven preheated to 200C/gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes or until golden and piping hot.

RAYMOND BLANC'S GRATIN DAUPHINOIS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 120°C/250°F/gas ½ then peel the potatoes and slice them 2mm ( 1 ⁄16 in) thick - a mandoline will make the job easier. Do not wash the potato slices, as you need to keep the starch in them to help thicken the cream. On a medium heat, in a medium pan, bring the milk and cream to the boil. Add the sliced potatoes and stir to coat them with the cream. Season with the nutmeg, 5 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of black pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes to prevent the mixture sticking to the base of the pan and to distribute the heat throughout the potatoes. Stir in the grated cheese and then remove the pan from the heat. Rub the gratin dish with the garlic. With a spatula, spread the potato mixture out evenly in the dish. Bake for 35 minutes; there should be tiny bubbles on the surface of the dish. The gratin is cooked when the tip of a sharp knife cuts into it with little resistance (you shouldn't feel the layers). To brown the top, place the gratin under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.