Top chef's 'cheat' dauphinoise potatoes features two 'must-have' ingredients
Celebrated British chef Rick Stein, famed for his Cornish passion, also takes culinary cues from global flavours. One of the simplest yet most delectable dishes from the Padstow-based maestro is his take on dauphinoise potatoes.
While rustling up the dish on his BBC programme, Rick Stein's Food Stories, Rick hailed the spuds as "a classic French accompaniment". He said: "I've got a very simple way of making dauphinoise potatoes, I suppose you can call it a cheat's way. But cheating in cooking isn't always a bad thing."
Rick recommends pairing the sumptuous creamy potatoes with a succulent rack of lamb and an assortment of veggies, drawing inspiration from the Salt Marshes of the Gower Peninsula in southwest Wales.
Dauphinoise potatoes recipe
Ingredients:
300ml double cream
300ml full cream milk
One garlic clove, crushed
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
15g butter, for greasing
Method:
Toss all the sliced potatoes into a sizeable saucepan, then pour in equal measures of milk and cream (around 300ml each). Add a dash of garlic - which Rick insists "makes all the difference to this dish", followed by a sprinkle of nutmeg, reports the Express.
Although some might omit this spice if it's not to hand, the Cornwall aficionado advises that it's essential for top-notch dauphinoise potatoes. Season the pan's contents liberally with salt and pepper, then let it simmer over medium heat on the hob for about 10 minutes.
Gently stir the pan occasionally to avoid breaking the potato slices, until they are just soft when pricked with the tip of a small, sharp knife.
Next, cautiously transfer the potato slices and sauce into a gratin dish (a small, round baking dish), then pop it into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Australian novel attracts controversy over fictionalised depiction of gay codebreaker Alan Turing
A novel written by a prominent book industry figure in which persecuted gay man Alan Turing has sex with a woman and fathers a child has been criticised online for its portrayal of the codebreaker. The Turing Protocol was released in July and was written by Nick Croydon, the CEO of QBD Books, the largest Australian-owned bookshop chain, where the book is being heavily promoted. Published by Affirm Press, which was bought by Simon & Schuster last year, the novel's cover features the question: 'If you had the power to change history, would you dare?' In the thriller, Turing, the brilliant British wartime mathematician and computer pioneer, builds a time travel machine and has sex with Joan Clarke, with whom he secretly fathers a child. Turing is otherwise depicted as gay and the story includes details of his persecution for his sexuality. In real life, Turing was briefly engaged to Bletchley Park colleague, Clarke, when the pair were employed in vital code-breaking during the war. He was later convicted for 'gross indecency' with another man and died by suicide at the age of 41 after enduring chemical castration. Queen Elizabeth II posthumously pardoned Turing in 2013, four years after prime minister Gordon Brown apologised for his 'appalling' treatment. Croydon told The Australian newspaper he had not pretended Turing was straight, but needed to give him a child for the purpose of his plot. 'I wrote this novel as a tribute to him. I wanted to highlight the genius that he was, but also the injustice that he suffered,' he said. As of Tuesday afternoon, the book had received 115 ratings on Goodreads, with five stars making up 21% and one stars making up 64%. Many of the most positive reviews came from first-time Goodreads reviewers. The negative reviews included anger about what some claimed was the 'erasure' of gay history. 'Anyone who is aware of Alan Turing and his prosecution will be scratching their head in disbelief,' one reader wrote. 'Erasing the whole point of Alan Turing's tragedy is one of the worst things someone can do. Erasing LGBTQ history, erasing a real person's pain? … Turing was not some fictional character to straight-ify,' wrote another. The book is QBD's fiction book of the month and is being actively marketed by the company, including a promotional Channel 7 interview in which Croydon explained that his favourite subjects at school were history and mathematics. Authors who have endorsed the book include historical fiction writer Fiona McIntosh and former QBD fiction book of the month author, Chris Hammer, who compared the book to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Prize-winning author Trent Dalton described the book as 'wildly imaginative' and urged people to 'read the Turing Protocol now', while Candice Fox said it was 'vivid'. Commenting on gay erasure broadly, Equality Australia legal director, Heather Corkhill, told Guardian Australia that 'erasing or marginalising LGBTIQ+ people and characters from historical and cultural narratives to fit a more heteronormative or 'traditional' worldview is not a new phenomenon – but it risks erasing our shared history and diminishing our understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience'. 'At no time did I say Turing wasn't gay,' Croydon said, according to the Australian. 'The book makes it very plain that he is gay. It talks about how he had to hide the fact that he was gay, and in the historical note page at the back of the book I again acknowledge the travesty of the treatment he received.' In a statement released last week, QBD said throughout the novel, Turing's 'identity as a gay man is neither erased, questioned nor diminished'. 'Speculative historical fiction often examines phenomena like lavender marriages – arrangements where LGBTQ+ individuals married opposite-sex partners due to societal pressures, ensuring protection and companionship – which were common during Turing's era and beyond. 'Regarding reviews, it's not unusual for friends, family, colleagues and peers to provide reviews of an author's work. QBD Books staff are a team of avid readers across the country who engage with literature passionately, some of whom have shared their genuine views on the book – both complimentary and critical. 'QBD Books' Book of the Month program follows a rigorous selection process that highlights debut or new authors who have written standout works. Each month submissions are received from publishers, and new releases are reviewed by our team of expert buyers, after which we select four titles for the whole calendar month to spotlight.' QBD, Simon and Schuster and Croydon have been contacted for comment.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Louis Theroux questions polyamory and 'trying everything on the buffet' as he admits marriage can be imprisoning in candid chat on his relationship
Louis Theroux questioned polyamory and 'getting to try everything on the buffet' in a candid new interview about love, relationships and his broadcasting career. Speaking with Rylan on the finale of BBC Sounds How to Be in Love on Wednesday, the documentary maker, 55, gave a rare insight into his relationship. Louis, who has been married to his wife Nancy Strang since 2012, quipped that while he has 'no plans' to be polyamorous, getting to the 'end of your life' without having fully explored everything could leave people with regrets. After meeting throuples and visiting marriage agencies in Thailand thanks to his documentaries, he shared how his career has challenged his thoughts on love. Louis told Rylan: 'I've never been [polyamorous], and I've no plans to. What I would also say is that what about being monogamous? 'Like, if you marry, marriage has been around for thousands of years, probably 2,000 / 3,000 years ago, people lived to be about 45, 50 if they were lucky.' He continued: 'You would be married for maybe 20 or 30 years. Now we live to be 90, 100, 110. You could be married for 90 years. 'Can you imagine being with one partner for 90 years? Would that be a life well lived? 'I mean, it's a bit almost crass to define things in those terms but it does feel imprisoning in an odd way, and don't you want to get to the end of your life and feel that you absolutely tried everything on the buffet?' Louis recalled the moment he fell in love with his wife Nancy and also candidly admitted that their relationship 'wasn't always easy.' He added: 'As someone who's been with my wife Nancy for more than 20 years, you've got to survive when the ecstasy isn't present in every moment. 'So love is also a practice, it's a discipline. You should think of it as the daily commitment you make to someone that you care about. 'The moment I fell in love with my wife was when I saw her dancing for the first time. It was like a second or third date, might have been fourth, and I realised that she had these moves. 'She's a dancer like not by training but just by natural she has a natural talent anyone who's seen her dance would tell you that.' Louis said: 'Can you imagine being with one partner for 90 years? Would that be a life well lived? 'It's a bit almost crass to define things in those terms but it does feel imprisoning' Louis revealed that at times in their relationship he 'wasn't always the man he needed to be' which caused problems. He explained: 'It took that kind of crisis of uncertainty to bring it to focus which led to us getting married. 'There was a time in our relationship when I thought I was in danger of losing her. And sometimes it's a terrible cliche, but the feeling of not knowing what you've got till it's gone. 'And that feeling of, it kind of brought everything into focus for me, but that moment, so the answer to the question is the moment of being in danger of losing Nancy was when I most keenly felt how committed I was to her.' The documentarian tied the knot with Nancy back in 2012, and they share three sons Albert, Frederick, and Walter.
Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Last batch of rare final Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins entering circulation
The final batch of Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins are entering circulation across the UK, the Royal Mint has announced. More than 23 million Queen coins are being released alongside 7.5 million new King Charles III £1 coins. The Royal Mint said the last of the Elizabeth II coins, dated 2022, are the rarest £1 coins in active circulation. The historic transition – with the dual release of almost 31 million coins – represents a significant moment for UK coinage, as the nation witnesses the changeover from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her son and heir on the £1 denomination, the Royal Mint said. The Queen's £1 coins will be the final ones bearing Elizabeth II's portrait to enter circulation. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: 'This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history. 'As we release more of the King Charles III £1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition. 'This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting.' The Royal Mint is encouraging the public to check its change over the coming weeks, as the new coins begin to appear in pockets and tills across the nation. Ms Morgan added: 'Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency.' Since the introduction of the King's effigy on UK coinage in 2023, the 50p and £1 are the only denominations with Charles's portrait to have entered circulation so far. The King's £1 coins feature an intricate bee design on the reverse and are part of the Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles. Some 2.975 million £1s with the King's effigy were released in August last year. In total, there are around 24.7 billion coins in circulation across the UK, with the King's coins representing only around 0.004% of those, making his new coins highly desirable to collectors. All UK coins bearing the Queen's portrait will remain legal tender and in active circulation to allow a smooth transition and minimise the environmental impact and cost.
