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Try out a rich gratin with layers of potatoes, smoked trout, and cavolo nero, all enveloped in a aromatic cream sauce and crowned with cheese. It is the perfect comforting potato main course. And for tasty twist on roast potatoes, try crisp roast potatoes tossed in a aromatic butter emulsion featuring white wine.

Layered Potato and Fish Bake

Prep 15 min
Cook 2 hr 15 min
Serves 4

600ml rich cream
3 garlic, peeled and bashed
2 sprigs rosemary
3 stalks thyme sprigs
Finely grated zest of 1 fresh lemon
Nutmeg
Seasoning
25g unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
200g Tuscan kale, stem removed, leaves roughly sliced
750g starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into slices
200g thinly sliced trout
3 stalks dill, chopped
150g finely grated cheese

Add the cream into a pan and add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, and a grating of nutmeg. Season well with salt and white pepper, then place over a gentle flame and simmer for about 10 minutes, to infuse and thicken. Take out and remove the garlic and herbs.

Melt the butter in a skillet on a moderate heat, chuck in the sliced onions and saute for four to five minutes, until softened. Stir in the cavolo nero, salt liberally and saute until the cabbage wilts. Take off the heat.

Place the cut potatoes in a layer in the bottom of a large 9cm x 12cm baking dish. Layer with a portion of the onions and cavolo nero, then add some of the cream mixture and pepper. Layer with slices of smoked trout and a handful of chopped dill, then top with some cheese. Repeat the process until you get to the top of the baking dish, ensuring the top layer is potatoes covered with cream and cheese.

Roast at 170C for about 2 hours, or until cooked all the way through.

Herb-Infused Roast Potatoes

Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr 10 min, plus cooling
Serves 4

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 bouillon cube
Seasoning
4 tbsp vegetable oil
200ml white wine
½ small onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic, peeled and minced
Nutmeg
2 whole cloves
Peel from 1 fresh lemon, cut into strips
50g rich butter
2 stalks rosemary, leaves plucked and chopped
2 stalks thyme, leaves picked and minced
3 stalks fresh sage, leaves picked and minced

Put the quartered potatoes in a pot of water, mix in the stock cube and salt with salt. Heat , then cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, until they fall off the tip of a sharp knife. Strain, then cover a cloth over the colander and let to steam-dry for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to a hot oven.

Place the oil into a tray and place it in the oven to get very hot. When the potatoes are steamed, slowly transfer them to the hot oil and toss with a pair of tongs, so they're completely coated. Cook for 30 minutes, then give them a shake and place in the oven for another 20 minutes.

In the meantime, set a large pan on a high heat, include the white wine, then add the shallots, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, and lemon zest, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the butter and herbs, then take out and throw away the cloves and lemon zest. By this point, the potatoes ought to be done.

Coat the potatoes in the sauce, pepper and serve immediately.