Prep Class: The Familiar - Gratin Dauphinois

Most of you are probably familiar with what we American's call "scalloped potatoes." The French name is "gratin dauphinois" and the origins of this dish can be traced back to French peasants in the 17th century. Original versions of the dish did not include cheese at all - as cheese was very expensive in the early part of the 17th century. As the dish evolved, the heavy cream sauce at the core of the dish evolved to include rich cheeses such as gruyere. In America, the same dish evolved further to use pasta instead of potatoes to become everyone's favorite "macaroni and cheese." And there can be some major, heated debates even within families - especially southern ones - about the right and wrong way to do this dish. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first major proponents of this dish in America - serving it at official functions as early as 1802. However, many other types of vegetable and meat fillings can be used at the core of a gratin. This is where I will focus in the first couple of recipes I share leading up to sharing my amazingly decadent "grown-up mac 'n cheese."