French · Authentic-ish French
Gratin Dauphinois
250 kcal a serving, against 572 for the traditional version. That is 322 kcal off, or 56%, with 8.3g of protein. Serves 6. 1 hour 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Thinly sliced potatoes layered in a buttered dish with crushed garlic. They are submerged completely in a heavy mixture of double cream and whole milk, then baked slowly until the top is blistering, the liquid has reduced to a thick paste, and the potatoes are meltingly soft.
What changed, and what each change costs
500g of double cream and 250g of whole milk down to 100g of double cream and 400g of chicken stock
Potatoes need a vast amount of liquid to cook through. Swapping the majority of the dairy for chicken stock drops the fat drastically but still provides enough moisture to soften the starch. Pouring a small amount of cream over the top for the final 20 minutes gives you the browned, rich finish of the original.
What it costs you. The potatoes absorb stock rather than dairy fat. They taste lighter and much more savoury, missing that overwhelming milky sweetness that makes a true Dauphinois so distinctive.
50g of butter down to absolutely nothing
Traditional recipes use butter to grease the baking dish and dot the top before it goes into the oven. I use baking parchment to stop the potatoes sticking, and rely on the reduced cream and cheese to handle the browning on top.
What it costs you. You'll miss a slight buttery edge on the crust, and the edges of the dish won't fry as they bake.
100g of gruyere down to 50g
Gratin Dauphinois purists argue cheese has no place in the dish anyway, but most restaurants use it. I kept a little to give the top a deep brown crust, but halved the amount to keep the numbers in check.
What it costs you. Less gooey melted cheese pulling apart as you serve it. It's a thin crust rather than a thick blanket.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 572 | 250 |
| Protein | 12.3g | 8.3g |
| Fat | 43.9g | 9.8g |
| Saturated fat | 27.5g | 5.8g |
| Carbohydrate | 34.8g | 33.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.2g | 3.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish French prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, milk.
The method is in the book
So: a lighter, stock-infused potato bake. A solid block of dairy was never on the table once the fat came out. You get the fierce hit of garlic, the tender starch and the golden crust, but you won't feel completely weighed down after eating a portion. The stock brings a deep, savoury flavour that the original completely lacks.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish French, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback