We love to cook as though we are at home, even though we are travelling in a motorhome. The food of a different country provides us with inspiration and an opportunity to buy as locally as possible and to celebrate the country’s fresh produce.
When we travel in France, we like to stay with local farmers and fresh food producers who are all part of the France Passion network.
Sometimes when we have plenty of time and the weather is shining upon us, we are able to do some of our cooking, or at least our preparation outdoors. Here in La Capelle Cabanac, in the Lot Valley region of France, we took the opportunity to prepare our dinner amongst the vineyard, and under the watchful eye of a nearby chateau.
Whilst we have used this recipe for motorhome cooking, it can honestly be made anywhere. In your home it can be much more elegant, using an oven proof dish to layer the potatoes. but, it can also be made when you are camping, either on a portable gas stove or even in a camp oven. With a few basic ingredients, you can take and use this motorhome recipe anywhere.
What is Potato Dauphinoise?
Potato Dauphinoise is a French dish of layered potatoes. There are many different versions of this recipe. Some include cream and milk, others only cream. I like to include creme fraiche with mine. It’s a rather fancy name (one I like) for a dish that many may know as potato bake or potato gratin. It’s a flexible recipe, allowing you to mix and match similar ingredients to arrive at a reasonably similar end result.
Potato Dauphinoise
Potato Dauphinoise, is a classic French dish made from potatoes. To many, it is similar to a potato bake or a potato gratin, but this recipe is very decadent and full of the best French ingredients. It's simple to make and an easy meal to make in a motorhome, when camping or at home.
Ingredients
- 500 grams of potatoes (I love using small potatoes but you can use any size)
- 250g creme fraiche
- 200 ml pouring cream
- 200g lardons or diced bacon
- 100g French shallots or onions
- Gruyere or Comte cheese (or whatever you have available)
Instructions
- Roughly chop the French shallots.
- Slice the potatoes. If the skins are washed, leave the skin on.
- Cook the lardons or diced bacon.
- Add all to a pot along with the creme fraiche and the cream.
- Add salt and pepper to suit your taste but remember there is salt in the lardons/bacon.
- Cook until potatoes are soft.
- Grate cheese over the top towards the end of the cook and mix it.
Notes
This is a recipe prepared for camping or in a motorhome, hence why it is all cooked on the stove and in one pot. If you were doing this at home, layer the potatoes in an oven proof dish, sprinkle the shallots and bacon on top and cover with creme fraiche and cream that has been mixed together. At the end of the cooking period, add the cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1056Total Fat: 81gSaturated Fat: 45gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 245mgSodium: 1361mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 41g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
