Molten French Camembert Potato Gratin With Bacon and Onions

French Tart's Note:

Pure indulgence & total comfort food! Melted Camembert cheese baked au gratin with potatoes, bacon, onions, wine & creme fraiche! This is my own adaptation of a recipe called Tartiflette; an Alpine Savoy dish which uses Reblochon cheese which I find a bit overpowering in flavour, so I made my own recipe up using Camembert and cutting out butter and full fat cream too! This is a truly lovely meal which is served with crisp green salad and a selection of charcuterie - such as salamis, sausages, pates & terrines. Bring the Poele, the little cooking pot to the table, have everything set out, add some wine & invite friends and family over.......... oh, and don't forget to light the log fire too!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 1/4 kg potatoes, peeled
• 500 g camembert cheese
• 2 medium onions, peeled & roughly chopped
• 200 g smoked lardons or 200 g smoked streaky bacon, cubed
• 5 tablespoons creme fraiche or 5 tablespoons sour cream
• 400 ml dry white wine
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 teaspoon butter, for greasing

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 210C,425°F.
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Take your Camembert cheese and very carefully slice it into two pieces horizontally.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Season with black pepper again and just a pinch of salt if you wish.
10. Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until the gratin is brown and bubbling.
11. Set to one side for about 3-5 minutes, it firms up a bit and is easier to serve then!
12. 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!
13. Great with a well chilled and dry white wine such as Chablis or Chardonnay.

Reviews

[lindseylcw]

Perfectly lovely way to use up post Christmas cheese. Very clear instructions, thanks FT you are a force of Nature!

[A Good Thing]

Made for ZWT III - and loved them! Thanks, Frenchie! (: