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Cornish Tartiflette


Cornish Tartiflette
(Serves 6)
1 swede, peeled, cut into smallish cubes
1 bag new potatoes, skin left on (waxy potatoes will hold together better than floury ones but not essential to success of the dish) and quartered – similar size to swede chunks
2 tbsp Trewithen butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
A rasher or 3 of Primrose Herd bacon – back or streaky – chopped small
1 glass dry white wine or chicken stock
200ml crème fraiche
250 g cheese cut into largish (2cm) chunks
Thyme sprig (if you happen to have one to hand)
1 clove of garlic, cut in half

Method
Boil the swede and potatoes in well-salted water until just tender to a fork, but not cooked right through – 3-4 minutes. Tip into a colander, shake, drain well and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, saute the onions and bacon in half the butter until the onions are soft and both are beginning to brown. Tip in the wine or stock, bring to a simmer, and reduce to nearly nothing. Remove pan from heat and stir in crème fraiche.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark six. Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan. Saute swede and potatoes (with thyme if using) until golden, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cut the cheese.

The cream should coat everything and still have some to spare – but this will depend on how old the veg is. The older it is the more liquid it will absorb. Add a glug of milk or cream if the mixture is a little dry.

Rub an ovenproof dish with the cut clove of garlic, cover the base with half the swede mix. Discard thyme if you have used it, its purpose has been served. Spoon over half the onion and bacon mixture and season well. Top with half the cheese then repeat the layers, with the remaining cheese scattered on top.

Bake for 15 minutes until browned and bubbling (stick it under the grill for five more minutes if you want it really crisp), then serve with a cold glass of dry white wine.

Tips
You cannot have too much cheese. Seriously. One of the best we made used a small Cornish brie and 200g cheddar.
A whole cheese can be used without being cut into chunks – slice in half horizontally and put half in the middle and half on top, rind side down.
You don’t need potatoes – all swede works brilliantly, especially if you want to use some blue cheese. Leeks work great if you want to use them up – just saute gently with the onion and bacon and add a splash of water from the kettle if they brown a little quickly.
Cream (double or single) can be substituted for crème fraiche

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