📝 About This Recipe
Hailing from the village bakeries of old France, 'Pommes Boulangère' was traditionally carried to the local baker to cook in the residual heat of the bread oven. Unlike its creamy cousin, Gratin Dauphinois, this dish relies on a savory infusion of high-quality stock, sweet caramelized onions, and aromatic herbs to create a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It is a lighter yet deeply flavorful side dish that boasts a beautiful contrast between the silky, stock-soaked center and the shattered-glass crispness of the top layer.
🥗 Ingredients
The Aromatics
- 3 large Yellow Onions (thinly sliced into half-moons)
- 50 grams Unsalted Butter (plus extra for greasing the dish)
- 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme (leaves stripped and chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (for the onions)
The Potatoes and Liquid
- 1.2 kg Maris Piper or Yukon Gold Potatoes (peeled and sliced into 3mm rounds)
- 500 ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock (high-quality, hot)
- 50 ml Dry White Wine (optional, for deglazing)
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
- 1 pinch Nutmeg (freshly grated)
The Finish
- 1 handful Fresh Parsley (finely chopped for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (to drizzle over the top)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas Mark 5). Generously grease a large, shallow ovenproof gratin dish with a knob of butter.
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2
Place a large frying pan over medium heat and melt the 50g of butter until foaming.
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3
Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook slowly for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, translucent, and just beginning to turn a pale golden brown.
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4
Stir in the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
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5
If using wine, pour it into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any flavorful bits from the bottom. Let it bubble for 1 minute until mostly evaporated, then remove from heat.
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6
Peel the potatoes and slice them into rounds roughly the thickness of a pound coin (approx 3mm). Use a mandoline if you have one for perfect consistency.
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7
Pat the potato slices dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess starch; this ensures the stock stays clear and the top gets crispy.
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8
Begin layering the dish: Place one-third of the potatoes in an overlapping pattern on the bottom of the dish. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a tiny grating of nutmeg.
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9
Spread half of the cooked onion mixture evenly over the potato layer.
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10
Add another third of the potatoes, followed by the remaining onions.
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11
Finish with a final layer of potatoes, arranged neatly in an attractive, tight overlapping pattern (this will be your presentation layer).
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12
Pour the hot stock over the potatoes until it reaches about two-thirds of the way up the side of the dish. You don't want to completely submerge the top layer.
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13
Drizzle the top with a little olive oil and add a final crack of black pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
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14
Bake for 30 minutes with the foil on. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 40-45 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the top is deeply golden and crisp.
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15
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the potatoes to soak up any remaining liquid. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Gold; starchy Russets may fall apart too much in the stock. Don't over-salt the layers if your stock is already salty; taste your stock first to gauge the seasoning. For an extra-crispy top, you can brush the top layer of potatoes with a little melted butter or duck fat halfway through the uncovered baking time. If the top is browning too quickly before the potatoes are soft, loosely replace the foil for the final 10 minutes. Ensure the onions are sliced very thinly so they melt into the potato layers during the long bake.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a traditional Roast Leg of Lamb with rosemary and garlic. Pairs beautifully with pan-seared duck breasts and a red wine reduction. Excellent as a hearty side for a simple Roast Chicken Sunday dinner. Accompany with a crisp green salad tossed in a sharp Dijon vinaigrette to cut through the richness. A glass of dry white Burgundy or a light Pinot Noir complements the earthy flavors perfectly.