Molten French Camembert Potato Gratin With Bacon And Onions Recipes

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 210C,425°F.
• Grease an ovenproof dish, I use a French Poele, a small pan like earthenware dish with a handle, but any oven proof dish which is fairly deep will be okay!
• Peel and boil the potatoes whole; cook for about 20-25 mins or until JUST tender but still holding their shape well.Plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking and set them to one side.
• Meanwhile, heat up a frying pan and cook the lardons or bacon cubes together with the diced onions. Cook them over a medium heat, pouring away any excess fat. Fry them until the bacon is crispy but not too brown and the onions are tender.
• Mix together the creme fraiche and glass of wine. Season the mixture very well with black pepper and just a touch of salt, as the bacon will be salty.
• Take your Camembert cheese and very carefully slice it into two pieces horizontally.
• Drain the cooled potatoes and cut them into 1/4" thick slices. Layer half of them in to the greased oven proof dish and then cover with half of the onion and bacon mixture.
• Pour over half of the wine and creme fraiche mixture. Place one half of the whole Camembert on top. Repeat the layer in the same order: potatoes, bacon and onion mixture, wine and creme fraiche mixture and end the layers by placing the last half a Camembert cheese on top.
• Season with black pepper again and just a pinch of salt if you wish.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until the gratin is brown and bubbling.
• Set to one side for about 3-5 minutes, it firms up a bit and is easier to serve then!
• Serve with a big bowl of crisp green salad, assorted Charcuterie such as cold meats, salami, terrine and sausage AND not forgetting crusty bread to mop all those juices up with!
• Great with a well chilled and dry white wine such as Chablis or Chardonnay.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 5.
• Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes whole, in their skins, for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the onion and bacon in the butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat; they should sweat but not brown. When they are cooked, discard the fat and add the glass of wine and the creme fraiche and mix well.
• Drain the potatoes and as soon as they are cool enough to handle peel them - the quicker the better. Slice thinly across.
• Choose an ovenproof earthenware dish and rub it well with the cut halves of garlic. Layer half the sliced potatoes across the base, season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then scatter over half the onion and bacon mixture.
• Cut the Reblochon cheese in half through the centre of the cheese, leaving you with a cut edge and a skin/rind edge, then lay one half of the cheese on top of the potato, bacon and onion mixture. Add the remaining bacon and onion mixture followed by the rest of the potatoes and more seasoning.
• Place the remaining half of cut Reblochon cheese skin/rind side up on top of the potatoes. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/350'F/gas mark 4 for a further 20-25 minutes. The Reblochon should melt within its skin and the cheese drip down throughout the dish, while the potatoes will become crispy and golden brown.
• Tartiflette is a filling dish and all you really need to go with it is a mixed green salad, crusty French bread and a selection of pickles.

Steps:

• Peel and slice potatoes thinly.
• Use a food processor if available.
• Lightly grease an ovenproof casserole.
• Layer potato slices in casserole, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Press garlic over mixture.
• Add cream and milk.
• You may prepare ahead of time up to this step.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and creamy and golden brown on surface.