Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Prepping Gratin Dauphinois the night before. Can I do this?


Kim Shook

Recommended Posts

I'm making Tony Bourdain's Gratin Dauphinois for Easter dinner and have an insane week.  I'm looking for ways to get things done ahead of time.  Nigella says you can prep (up to the point of baking) au gratin the night before and refrigerate.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  I'd love to do it on Saturday night!  Thanks!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes. It refrigerates well.  I've made that particular recipe with yukon gold and ate it a day later.

 

I would not store it uncooked. The potatoes will turn black from oxidation in a few hours.  (Although perhaps not since Bourdain parcooks the potatoes and then dumps them in the dish.  I skip the parcooking and have blackened a dish of potatoes).

 

It reheats beautifully.

 

I'd probably not cook it until the point where  the top is pretty and browned,just so it doesn't overcook on the second heating

Edited by gfweb (log)
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, gfweb said:

Yes. It refrigerates well.  I've made that particular recipe with yukon gold and ate it a day later.

 

I would not store it uncooked. The potatoes will turn black from oxidation in a few hours.  (Although perhaps not since Bourdain parcooks the potatoes and then dumps them in the dish.  I skip the parcooking and have blackened a dish of potatoes).

 

It reheats beautifully.

 

I'd probably not cook it until the point where  the top is pretty and browned,just so it doesn't overcook on the second heating

Thanks so much!  That's exactly what I'll do.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I make that recipe often for holiday dinners, and have found that it refrigerates very well. Since the potatoes are simmered in cream, they don't discolor. Just take it out of the fridge ahead of time, or add 10-12 minutes cooking time if it's still cold when it goes in the oven.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for the advice.  I did prep the night before and it was fine as far as doneness was concerned and also tasted really good.  But, as I mentioned elsewhere the dish ended up with a lot of what looked like melted butter (yellow and oily) in the bottom.  I don't know if it was the Gruyere or if the heavy cream broke.  Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Thanks so much for the advice.  I did prep the night before and it was fine as far as doneness was concerned and also tasted really good.  But, as I mentioned elsewhere the dish ended up with a lot of what looked like melted butter (yellow and oily) in the bottom.  I don't know if it was the Gruyere or if the heavy cream broke.  Any ideas?

 

Bourdain has gruyere in his recipe?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Thanks so much for the advice.  I did prep the night before and it was fine as far as doneness was concerned and also tasted really good.  But, as I mentioned elsewhere the dish ended up with a lot of what looked like melted butter (yellow and oily) in the bottom.  I don't know if it was the Gruyere or if the heavy cream broke.  Any ideas?

Mine had the same problem.  I assume it was the cheese.

  • Thanks 1

That's the thing about opposum inerds, they's just as tasty the next day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, gilbertlevine said:

Many traditional recipes use all milk or part cream and part milk

my experience uses half milk half heavy cream but not 1/2 &1/2 which doesn’t work

Thank you.  I put this in my notes on my recipe and will try this next time.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

 

Did you get a melted puddle at the bottom?

 

 

Nope.

No gruyere added though. I think its the cheese.

 

Ive made the recipe dozens of times and never a puddle with leftovers. Always heavy cream and no cheese.

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's not the cheese, it could have been the cream you used.  I have found some brands of cream to be more liable to separate than others.  I suspect that the more industrially produced, UHT and gellan or carateenan type versions have produced poorer results for me in the past,  but that is probably just prejudice!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...