A creamy, golden-topped dauphinoise made with layers of pumpkin, potato, and thyme-infused cream. Perfect as a side for roast lamb, chicken, or fish, this dish balances richness with fragrant herbs and a hint of sweetness from the pumpkin. Easy to prepare ahead and bake before serving.
300gPotatoeswaxy, peeled and sliced thinly (about 3 mm)
250mlDouble cream
150mlWhole milk
25gButterunsalted, plus extra for greasing
6sprigsFresh thymeleaves stripped
2clovesGarlic
1tspSea salt
½tspBlack pepperfreshly ground
50gParmesan Cheesefinely grated
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C and butter a medium-sized baking dish. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the garlic and most of the thyme leaves, saving a small pinch for garnish. Cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the cream and milk, season with salt and pepper, and heat until just steaming — don’t let it boil.
Arrange a layer of potato slices in the base of the dish, slightly overlapping them. Follow with a layer of pumpkin slices. Pour over a little of the cream mixture, making sure each layer is moistened. Continue layering in this way until you’ve used up the vegetables, finishing with a layer of pumpkin. Pour over the remaining cream mixture, then sprinkle the Parmesan evenly across the top.
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife. Scatter over the reserved thyme leaves before serving.