Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Potato Dauphinoise
- 800 g starchy potatoes, peeled
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 300 ml whole milk
- 2 garlic, smashed
- 100 g gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- 20 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 g nutmeg, freshly grated
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Rack of Lamb
- 800 g rack of lamb, french trimmed
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 10 g kosher salt
- 4 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 725 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 49 g
- Fat
- 51 g
- Fiber
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1892 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 27 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 131 mg
- Potassium
- 1984 mg
- Calcium
- 1094 mg
- Iron
- 9.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 144 mg
- Phosphorus
- 494 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1610 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 187 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.44 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.32 mg
- Niacin
- 4.7 mg
- Folate
- 106 mcg
- Water
- 459 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. Generously grease a medium baking dish with the softened butter.
Slice the peeled potatoes into uniform 3mm rounds using a mandoline slicer or sharp knife. Do not wash the slices, as the natural starches are needed to thicken the sauce.
In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, smashed garlic, nutmeg, 6g kosher salt, and 2g black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then immediately remove from heat and let infuse for 5 minutes.
Arrange the potato slices in the prepared baking dish in overlapping, shingled layers. Pour the infused cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve directly over the potatoes. Discard the strained garlic.
Sprinkle the freshly grated gruyere cheese evenly over the top layer of the cream-soaked potatoes.
Bake the potatoes at 180°C/350°F for 60 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown and the potatoes offer no resistance when pierced with a paring knife. Remove from oven and let rest, then increase the oven temperature to 200°C/400°F.
While the potatoes are resting, score the fat caps of the lamb racks lightly in a crosshatch pattern. Rub the lamb evenly with olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, 10g kosher salt, and 4g black pepper.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place the lamb racks fat-side down and sear for 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the underside for 1 minute.
Transfer the skillet with the lamb into the 200°C/400°F oven. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 54°C/130°F for medium-rare.
Remove the lamb from the skillet to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Slice between the rib bones into individual chops and serve alongside the rested potato dauphinoise.
Chef's Notes
- Never rinse the sliced potatoes. The surface starch is exactly what thickens the milk and cream into a luxurious sauce.
- Resting the dauphinoise is non-negotiable. Straight from the oven, it will be soup. A 20 to 30 minute rest allows the starches to set, making clean slices possible.
- Scoring the lamb fat prevents the chops from curling under high heat and allows the rendered fat to self-baste the lean meat underneath.
- Carryover cooking is significant with rack of lamb. If you want a final temperature of 57C (medium), pull it at 52C.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store lamb and potatoes in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat potatoes in a 160C/320F oven for 20 minutes. Gently warm lamb in the same oven for 5-8 minutes to avoid overcooking.
Troubleshooting
Potatoes are still hard after 60 minutes of baking
Cause: Slices were cut too thick, or acidic ingredients were added which prevent potatoes from softening
Fix: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil to trap steam and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes
Prevention: Use a mandoline to ensure exact 3mm thickness and avoid adding wine or acidic ingredients to the cream
Cream sauce split and looks oily
Cause: Oven temperature too high during potato baking, or using low-fat milk/cream lacking stability
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but letting it rest for 15-20 minutes allows some of the fat to reabsorb into the potatoes
Prevention: Stick to heavy cream and whole milk, and do not exceed 180C/350F for the dauphinoise
Lamb is overcooked and grey
Cause: Left in the oven too long or not resting properly
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Slice thin and serve with a pan sauce or jus to add moisture
Prevention: Always use a meat thermometer and pull the meat at 54C/130F, remembering carryover cooking will raise it another 3 to 5 degrees
Cultural Context
Gratin Dauphinois is a hallmark of the historic Dauphine region in southeastern France, first officially recorded in 1788 at a dinner hosted by Charles-Gabriel de la Croix. Paired with a French-trimmed rack of lamb, this dish represents the pinnacle of classic French bistro dining, balancing the earthy, robust flavor of roasted meat with a rich, refined starch.
