Potato gratin

Tamara West

Potatoes and pumpkin are familiar partners but here I’m giving them a little more attention than just roasting them in the dish with the meat. I like to make potato gratin in a deep gratin dish so the potato becomes soft and creamy. Also there is less likelihood of the liquid boiling over the sides of the dish. Just for insurance though, I do place a shallow baking tray in the bottom of the oven.

Ingredients

1 clove	Garlic, large, cut in half
25 g	Butter
8	Potatoes, medium-sized, peeled (Main)
1 tsp	Flour
200 ml	Cream
200 ml	Milk

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Rub a deep gratin dish with the garlic and generously grease dish with butter.
3. Slice the potatoes thinly (a mandolin makes light work of this), and lay in the dish, seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as you layer. Arrange the top layer in neat overlapping rows.
4. Whisk the flour into the cream and milk and pour into the dish. It should come nearly to the top of the potatoes.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are meltingly tender and the top is golden. If your gratin browns too quickly, place it lower in the oven or cover with a piece of baking paper or foil.

More side recipes

Here are a few sides to serve with your favoured joint of roast meat.

• Potato gratin
• Roasted buttercup squash
• Fennel baked in cream