Tartiflette
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6 as a side dish
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750g/1.65lbs. potatoes, unpeeled
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1.5 tablespoons salt
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300g/10.6ozs. bacon or lardons, diced
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30g/1oz. butter
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2 large brown onions, peeled and thinly sliced
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1/4 cup/60ml/2flozs. brandy or wine or chicken stock
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1 cup/250ml/8.8flozs. cream
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4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
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Thyme (optional)
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Pinch of nutmeg
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200g/7ozs. gruyere cheese, grated
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200g/7ozs. Reblochon or washed rind or triple cream Camembert cheese, cut into little wedges
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 190C/375F and grease a large baking dish. First place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the salt (don't be alarmed by the quantity of salt, it seasons the potatoes perfectly and you will discard the water). Bring to a boil and boil for around 8-15 minutes depending on the size of potatoes-my potatoes were quite small so 8 minutes was fine. You don't want them soft, just barely tender will do as they will also cook in the oven. Remove potatoes from the pot and allow to cool while you make the rest.
Step 2 -Add the bacon to a pan (I use the same pot quite because seriously who wants to wash up more?) and add a little butter if needed. Fry until crispy and remove from the pan and place in a bowl. Add the onions and fry them in the bacon fat on medium heat adding a bit of butter if needed-you want them soft and golden. Remove the onions from the pan and place in another bowl. Add the brandy (or wine or chicken stock) to the pan and deglaze the pan scraping off any of the tasty bacon bits. Pour this deglazing liquid into a jug along with the cream, chopped garlic, thyme and nutmeg.
Step 3 - By now the potatoes should be cool enough to handle. Slice up potatoes and place half of the potato slices on the base of the dish. Cover with half of the cream mixture, half of the onion and half of the bacon. Place the remaining half of potatoes then the remaining half of the cream, onion and bacon. Then add all of the gruyere cheese and then top with the wedges of cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before eating.