This is a really simple dish that has so much flavour from just a few ingredients. It’s a side dish that can effortlessly outshine your hero ingredient. Comfort food made with love.
As my favourite part of the gratin is the golden, crunchy edges and top, so for this, I like to use a large dish, which means there is more surface area. This way everyone gets a perfect piece.
If you are rushed for time then a fantastic tip is to place the sliced potatoes into a saucepan and cover with seasoned milk. Bring up to a gentle simmer and cook till tender, about 15 minutes. While they are cooking, caramalise the fennel. Alternate pouring some potatoes and scattering on some fennel and grated cheese into a prepared baking dish till all the components are in the baking dish. Season well, top with the remainder of the cheese and place under a grill till the top is golden and bubbly. What normally takes about an hour to cook will take a quarter of the time. This method is also great if you don’t want to use too much cheese. Just top the gratin with a light covering. The end result is still amazing.
INGREDIENTS
2 kg potatoes, peeled and sliced .5cm thick
1 fennel bulb, shaved
1 tbs butter
2 tbs oil
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Method
Pre heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F
Heat a fry pan and add the butter and oil. Place in the shaved fennel and add a pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook on medium heat till the fennel is golden and tender. Set aside.
This step is the building of the gratin… Place a layer of potato on the bottom of your baking dish. Sprinkle on the cheese, drizzle the milk, season with salt and pepper and scatter some of the fennel.
Repeat till all the ingredients are used up.
Top the gratin with a good amount of cheese , cover with foil and then place in the oven to cook for 45 minutes – 1 hour. This will depend on the depth your gratin is. Remove the foil once the centre is cooked and can easily be pierced with a knife. Cook till golden.
- 2 kg potatoes, peeled and sliced .5cm thick
- 1 fennel bulb, shaved
- 1 tbs butter
- 2 tbs oil
- ½ cup milk
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- Pre heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F
- Heat a fry pan and add the butter and oil. Place in the shaved fennel and add a pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook on medium heat till the fennel is golden and tender. Set aside.
- This step is the building of the gratin… Place a layer of potato on the bottom of your baking dish. Sprinkle on the cheese, drizzle the milk, season with salt and pepper and scatter some of the fennel.
- Repeat till all the ingredients are used up.
