A comforting, unctuous, rich dish that tastes great the next day
There are many versions of tartiflette, the main commonality being thinly sliced, crispy potatoes. I've gone overboard with the béchamel, and - owing to lockdown store cupboard issues - I've used gruyère instead of the traditional reblochon or raclette. Make it your own!
INGREDIENTS
onion
carrots
thyme & sage
chicken breast
Dijon mustard
glass of white wine - Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Pecorino - something with a citrusy freshness
mushrooms
chicken stock
potatoes
butter
plain flour
milk
reblochon/raclette/gruyère
nutmeg
pepper
Watch the video
METHOD
Finely chop the onions and carrots
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the veg with the herbs until soft
Slice the chicken into bite-sized chunks and add to the pan
Stir through and seal
Add two teaspoons of mustard and a glass of white wine, reduce and season to taste
Cut the mushrooms into large chunks and add to the pan, stirring through
Add enough chicken stock to nearly cover, and reduce for 20-30 minutes
MEANWHILE...
Put about a spoonful of butter into a pan and melt - don't burn
Add an equal amount of flour and whisk vigorously to a dry gloop
Add a splash of milk* and whisk to a paste - this is your roux
Keep adding small splashes of milk and whisking; don't add so much that the mix goes cold
After about 10 minutes of adding and whisking, you should have a good sauce
*You can heat the milk first, infusing it with onions and cloves, then strain those away if you want. For this dish, plain milk does me fine, and will be less of a kerfuffle
Grate some nutmeg - or use ground, add some pepper and a teaspoon of mustard
Stir through
Pour the chicken mix into a casserole or ovenproof dish and spoon most of the béchamel over
Slice the potatoes no thicker than a coin
Layer over the mix
Top with the remaining [if any] béchamel and slices of cheese, add nutmeg and pepper
180º for 40 minutes