ULTIMATE POTATO GRATIN DAUPHINOISE

1HR 40 MINS

SERVES 6

– 1kg waxy potatoes – 400ml double cream – 400ml whole milk – 2 garlic cloves

– nutmeg, for grating – 1 bay leaf

– a large knob of butter – a handful of breadcrumbs

– a few sprigs of thyme – 60g Gruyère or Comté – olive oil, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas mark 4.

Cut the potatoes into thin slices (no need to peel them; they are especially pretty left unpeeled if red-skinned). Ideally, use a mandolin or the slicing attachment on a food processor to speed things up.

Pour the cream and milk into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Peel the garlic and add one whole clove to the pan with a good grating of nutmeg and the bay leaf. Season generously, and when the mixture is bubbling add the potatoes. Reduce the heat and cook for six minutes, so the potatoes just begin to cook.

Meanwhile, halve the remaining garlic clove and rub the inside of a roasting tray with its cut sides. Grease liberally with butter and then gently pour or spoon in the potato and cream mixture, discarding the garlic. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and pick in the thyme leaves. Grate in the cheese and toss everything with a little olive oil.

After 45 minutes, remove the tray of potatoes from the oven, scatter over the breadcrumb mixture and place back in the oven, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.

SERVES 6

– 1kg lamb neck – 2 tbsp olive oil – 3 red onions – 3 sticks of celery – 2 garlic cloves – a knob of butter – 2-3 quinces (around 700g) – 1 cinnamon stick – ½ tbsp ground coriander

– 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée

– a pinch of saffron – 1 bay leaf

– 750ml beef stock

Cut the lamb into 3cm chunks. Drizzle the oil into a large casserole, place it on a medium-high heat and fry the lamb for about 10 minutes, until golden all over. You might need to do this in a couple of batches.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas mark 2.

Prepare the veg: peel and slice the onions into eighths, trim and slice the celery into 2cm pieces, and peel and finely chop the garlic. When the lamb is ready, add the chopped vegetables to the pan, along with the butter, and turn the heat down a little. Sauté for 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened a little.

Peel the quinces, quarter them and remove the cores. Halve each quarter and add to the pan along with the cinnamon stick, coriander and tomato purée. Place the saffron in a small bowl and pour over a few tablespoons of boiling water. After a few minutes, add the saffron and its soaking water to the pan too, along with the bay leaf, beef stock and a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Bring it all to the boil, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for two hours, then remove the lid, turn the heat up to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4, and cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes, until rich and thickened.

Taste, tweak the seasoning, then serve alongside the gratin dauphinoise or mashed potato, with some seasonal greens.