Au Gratin

Au gratin (French gratin) is a classic French cooking technique in which a dish is baked in the oven until an appetising ruddy, golden, crisp crust forms on its surface. It is this crust that is the main charm and defining feature of any “au gratin” dish.

To obtain such a crust, the surface of the dish before baking is sprinkled with products that brown and crisp well: most often grated cheese, breadcrumbs, sometimes with pieces of butter added. Under the action of heat from above (often in the grill mode) these ingredients melt, caramelise, and brown, forming a tasty, aromatic crust of contrasting texture, while inside the dish stays tender and succulent. The classic and best-known example is potato gratin (gratin dauphinois): thinly sliced raw potato baked in cream — traditionally without cheese, although many chefs’ recipes add it. In the au gratin style vegetables are also cooked (cauliflower, courgettes), pasta (such as macaroni cheese), seafood, and meat dishes. The name of the technique, incidentally, comes from that same browned, “scraped” layer. Au gratin is a simple but striking technique that gives dishes an appetising look, a richer flavour, and that wonderful contrast of a crisp top and a tender bottom.