14/01/2009

guest blog: last post

Well, it's Wednesday and that means Biba is back tomorrow! Which means, sadly, time for my final post as guest blogger. I really want to say thank you to Biba for allowing me the chance to try out blogging on her site - what an honour - and also to all the lovely people who have left me friendly and welcoming comments. I have really enjoyed it!

Anyway.... it's managing to be grey, wet and freezing all at the same time here so I'm guessing Biba won't be over the moon to be back (although we're all glad to have her back of course!). So I thought I'd sign off with a little something to keep the fond memories of skiing alive a little longer.

Tartiflette
(yes, it's French, but how many Italian Apres Ski dishes do you know?!)

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter, softened
175g bacon or pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes
250g sliced cup mushrooms, sliced
1kg waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced to a 3mm thickness
Salt and freshly ground pepper
250g Reblochon cheese, cubed
568ml carton double cream

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas 2. With half the butter, grease a shallow baking dish, about 25 x 30cm.
  2. Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the bacon. Sauté for about 5 minutes until crisp and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
  3. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the bacon fat. Return the pan to the heat and add the mushrooms. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Season.
  4. Toss the potato slices with salt and pepper. Arrange half in a layer in the dish. Sprinkle with the bacon and mushrooms. Top with half the cheese, season again (remember the bacon is salty already). Top with the remaining potatoes. Pour enough cream over the top to just cover the potatoes - you may not need it all. Dot with the remaining butter.
  5. Bake for about 1¼ hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Dot with the remaining cheese, and return to the oven until brown and bubbling (about 15 minutes). Remove from the oven, cover with foil and leave for 10-15 minutes before serving.
  6. Loosen belt, sit back, relax.
Welcome home Biba!

4 comments:

Wiz said...

Fab guest spot, H_E, congratulations on getting through it with such panache! I for one have enjoyed your brief sabbatical enormously. Perhaps time to get your own blog up and running?! :) x

Anonymous said...

Ah, thanks hun, but I'm the master procrastinator so if I do the blog, the writing will fall by the wayside. I suddenly realised this trait (yet again) last night as I *nearly* signed up for my local 10k run!!! x

Lisa said...

Yay, well done on your guest blogging stint! You have done a marvellous job and now I have seen this lovely recipe, I know who will be guest blogging for me when I'm away!!! :) x

Lisa said...

And welcome back Miss B!! :) x