Alpine Tartiflette

I have eaten quite a bit of tartiflette out here in Val d’Isere and it is definitely the ultimate mountain comfort food.  What’s not to love?  It’s got melted cheese, ham and potatoes.  Most recipes use a ton of cheese and cream but when I made this I didn't have any cream so I used stock instead.  The result is still delicious and just that little bit less heavy.  I used honey roast ham because my mum made a large one but crispy lardons or even parma ham would be great.  I also had baked potatoes which meant that the whole thing cooked in 15 minutes and they gave a lovely texture soaking up all the flavours.  This dish is gluten-free.

Serves 6-7

Ingredients:

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, diced

1 large leek, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves, diced

8 medium baked potatoes, sliced in 1cm pieces

60g cornichons, sliced

200g reblochon, chopped in pieces

150g raclette, chopped into pieces

300g honey roast ham, chopped into pieces

Few sprigs of thyme

Handful Comte, grated

20g butter, diced

400ml hot chicken stock

Sea salt and black pepper

I baked the potatoes in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 1 hour and then removed them to cool before I sliced them.

Set a large frying pan to medium to high heat and add the olive oil followed by the shallots and leeks.  Frying until for 3 minutes until they go translucent and then add in the garlic.  Cook for another minute and then remove from the heat.  Grease a large baking dish and arrange the potato slices in a tight layer on the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle over half of the contents of the frying pan and then top with a mixture of cheese (leaving out the Comte), ham pieces, cornichons, few leaves of thyme, drizzle over the stock and salt and pepper.  Repeat this again with another layer until everything is used up and the dish is packed tightly.  Add the remaining stock and finish with the Comte and butter sprinkled over the top.  Season with a little more salt and pepper and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the top is golden and melted.  Serve with a fresh green salad and eat hot!