Not that I need an excuse to cook up this creamy and garlic loaded potato dish but I hadn't in a while and it was my anniversary. It was formally requested to go alongside a nice french trimmed rack of lamb. Always happy to oblige.

This is a great dish and a crowd pleaser to serve alongside any chunks of red meat and a good full-bodied bottle of red.

It also gave me an excuse to pull out my little handheld mandoline. A great little gadget I've had for years, and unlike other versions, it's yet to draw blood!

Step 1 - Some gadget action

I bought this about 5 years ago. It's a solid bit of kit, just as sharp as the day I bought it. The only complaint is that if your technique isn't quite spot on a slice can be thicker one end than the other. It has three grades of thickness and comes with a guard to stop you chopping the end of your fingers off.
It's also a very respectable price.
OXO Good grips handheld mandoline slicer
 

• Preheat your oven to 190C

• Peel your potatoes

• Get slicing over a bowl, being careful, it's sharp!!

Step 2 - Layer up

• Pour a little olive oil in the bottom of your dish and wipe around to ensure that it's completely covered up the sides

• Start adding two layers of potatoes and then some generous twists of salt and pepper

• Repeat this layering and seasoning until you get near the top of the dish

Step 3 - Cream and cheese it

• Peel a clove of garlic and give it a good whack under the side of a knife to crush it

• In a saucepan add the milk and cream and put on a low heat

• Add the garlic, bay leaf and mustard

• Give it all a mix

• When it starts to bubble give it a stir, take off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes

• Strain out the garlic and bay leaf

• Pour over your creamy mixture over the potatoes, pouring around the sides and pressing lightly until it just starts to cover the top but not completely.
  Giving the dish a little shuffle to help the mixture get to the bottom

• Finally mix up the cheese, spread across the top of the dish and give one last covering with pepper

Step 4 - Cook it

• Put it in the oven for 35 minutes, when it starts to turn brown on top, put a sharp knife in it. If there is no resistance, keep it in until the top is nice and brown.

• If there is resistance then put it back in for another 10 minutes and turn the oven down to 160C. Pull it out when its browned and there is no resistance

• Serve it up in large slices

Dauphinoise

• 500g Vivaldi potatoes

• Salt and pepper

• 1 large clove of garlic

• 100ml double cream

• 100ml of milk (full fat ideally)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp whole grain mustard

• Enough grated cheddar to cover your dish

• Enough grated parmesan to cover your dish