Here’s a great winter dish that you can whip up in no time. It’s a cross between tartiflette – which is made with reblochon and comes from the Savoy, a mountainous departement in the southeast of France – and raclette, which is made with potatoes smothered in raclette and served with cured meats, cornichons and pickled onions. Raclette comes from the Valais region of Switzerland, but has long been adopted by the French.
Both of the above are the simplest of country dishes, made in the mountains to fill up hungry people. Mine is a version that you can serve to your family and friends (hungry people too) in no time. You don’t need a fire in the chimney, or any special apparatus aside from an oven and a heavy dish. And, the best possible ingredients of course!
A Hearty Winter Dish
No one can resist this delectable combination of potatoes, melted cheese, air-cured meats. It’s a perfect winter supper, accompanied by a crisp, green salad. It’s the kind of dish to make on those nights when it was already dark at 5, the rain or snow was coming down outside, the fire was burning in the fireplace. To thinly slice the cheese, make sure it is chilled, and use a cheese slicer that results in almost paper-thin slices.
If you make this, use whatever cheese you have on hand – it’s a great way to use leftovers. Serve this with an Arbois red, or an Arbois Chardonnay.
Note: this is a great dish to serve to a large group; just multiply the ingredients.
1-1/2 pounds (750g) small, waxy-starchy potatoes such as Yukon Gold, scrubbed
1/2 pound (250g) soft mountain cheese such as raclette or a young Comte, thinly sliced
1/2 pound (250g) air-cured ham, or a mix of air-cured sausages, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (120g) small, pickled onions
1/2 cup (120g) cornichons
1. Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).
2. Place the potoates in a medium-sized pot, cover with water and add 2 teaspoons salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to keep the water boiling gently and cook until the potatoes are just tender through, about 15 minutes.
3. Lay the slices of cheese over the potatoes. Place the dish in the center of the oven and cook untilt he cheese is bubbly and sliglty golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Serve the potatoes and cheese with the air-cured meats, the onions ,and the cornichons on the side.
4 servings
