Cheese and Potato Nests

This Reblochon tartiflette is a cheesy potato gratin, traditionally quite a heavy winter staple. But made this way you can even serve it on a hot day with a side salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon soft butter
• 500 grams waxy potatoes, e.g. Maris Peer or Charlotte
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 200 grams lardons or cubes of smoked bacon
• 100 milliliters dry white wine
• 250 grams Reblochon cheese, cubed

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and brush a six-hole muffin tin with the soft butter. Peel the potatoes and use the julienne blade on a mandoline to make thin matchsticks (or slice by hand). Technique: Learning to chop: the 'julienne' technique

2. Put the onion, garlic, bay leaf and lardons into a large non-stick frying pan and cook until the lardons are golden-brown. Add the wine and reduce until only a couple of tablespoons of liquid remain. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the potato matchsticks and take off the heat, then stir in the Reblochon cubes. Divide the potato mix between the six holes in the muffin tin and bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden-brown and bubbling. Serve hot.

(Serves 3)