By JEAN DOHERTY

“Graa-tan!” This is probably the most famous dish from the Rhone Alp region, and it’s one of the first recipes I learned to make during my stay in Lyon. Gratin is a well known culinary technique in which any ingredient is browned, usually by using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, butter, or egg. This “browned crust” is obtained by baking or cooking under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden brown top. It is traditionally served from the oven to the table in its baking dish.

Ingredients:

•2 lbs of potatoes (russet are grand)

•1 or 2 cloves of garlic, mashed

•2 oz of butter

•2 cups of whole milk

•5 oz of French or Swiss Gruyère cheese

•1 pint of heavy cream

•Herbs de Provence (if preferred)

•Salt

•Pepper

Preheat oven to 360ºF. Slice the potatoes into thin slices—don’t rinse them, we want the starch.

Put the potatoes in a pan, and cover with milk. Add salt. Bring to a boil, starting at moderate heat for about five minutes, and then lower the heat for about 10 minutes.

Stir from time to time, taking care not to break the slices. Rub an ovenproof dish with garlic, and grease it well with butter. Transfer half of the potatoes to the gratin dish.

Add half the cheese, heavy cream, and pepper to the layer. Put the second half of the potatoes and cover with the cheese and cream that’s left.

You can sprinkle with Herbs de Provence before popping in the oven—as I always say, you are the chef!

Cook for about one hour at 360ºF. The Gratin Dauphinois is ready when the top is golden brown.