The only thing I love more than cheese is potatoes. Put the two together, and you’re a speaking my language. A year or two back, I picked up a bunch of cast iron mini cocottes made by Staub.

They are pretty handy for a range of recipes like chili or mac n’ cheese, but I’ve been focusing on gratin dauphinoise. I have been experimenting a lot over the past year and think I finally cracked the code. Feast your eyes on this:

I don’t have a formal recipe, but this is super easy. I rub the cocotte with a garlic clove and butter. I then add layers of thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes. If you have a mandoline, use that to slice the potatoes. It’s not too difficult to achieve a similar effect with a chef’s knife, it’s just a lot more time consuming. After each layer, I add a tiny dollop of butter, a few finely chopped green onions, salt and pepper. Repeat until you have nearly reached the top of the cocotte. Mix equal parts whole milk and heavy cream, add that mixture to the cocotte so you have completely covered the potatoes. Top with Gruyere cheese. One tip: I place a sheet of aluminum foil on the oven rack directly underneath the potatoes to catch run-off – saves a lot of hassle, especially if you have sensitive smoke detectors. Cook at 375 degrees for around 30 minutes or until the cheese crust is bubbly, a little blackened.

I specialize in potato recipes and this has quickly become one of my all time favorites. One of the nicest things about the dish is the aroma of the green onions as you pierce the various layers. It’s irresistible. I am going to try a few new things for kicks: substitute jalapenos for green onions, add a few layers of pancetta but this recipe is a crowd pleaser.

You should get involved.