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Try out a rich gratin featuring potatoes, smoked trout, and cavolo nero, all coated in a herb-infused cream sauce and topped with cheese. The gratin is the ultimate comforting potato centerpiece. And for flavorful take on roast potatoes, cook crisp roast potatoes coated in a lightly spiced butter emulsion made with white wine.

Potato Gratin with Smoked Trout and Kale

Prep 15 min
Cook 2 hr 15 min
Serves 4

600ml rich cream
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and bashed
2 stalks fresh rosemary
3 stalks thyme sprigs
Zest of 1 fresh lemon
Grated nutmeg
Salt and white pepper
25g butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
200g black kale, de-stemmed, leaves roughly sliced
750g starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into 3mm-thick slices
200g sliced trout
3 stalks fresh dill, minced
150g shredded gruyere

Pour the cream into a pan and mix in the garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, and a pinch of nutmeg. Salt well with salt and white pepper, then place over a medium-low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, to flavor and creamify. Take out and remove the garlic and herbs.

Heat the butter in a pan on a medium heat, add the sliced onions and saute for four to five minutes, until softened. Stir in the cavolo nero, salt well and fry until the cabbage wilts. Remove from the heat.

Arrange the sliced potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Top with a amount of the onions and cavolo nero, then pour over some of the cream mixture and pepper. Top with slices of smoked trout and a sprinkling of chopped dill, then sprinkle over some cheese. Carry on the steps until you reach the top of the baking dish, so that the top layer is potatoes topped with cream and cheese.

Bake at a moderate oven for 105 minutes, or until soft all the way through.

Herb-Infused Roast Potatoes

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

6 maris piper, peeled and halved
1 stock cube
Seasoning
4 tbsp cooking oil
200ml white wine
½ shallot, peeled and minced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
Nutmeg
2 cloves
Peel from 1 fresh lemon, cut into strips
50g salted butter
2 stalks fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
2 branches thyme, leaves plucked and finely chopped
3 branches fresh sage, leaves plucked and chopped

Put the prepared potatoes in a pot of cool water, mix in the stock cube and season with salt. Bring to a boil , then boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, until they easily pierced. Strain, then place a towel over the colander and allow to rest for 10 minutes. While waiting, warm the oven to 200C.

Place the oil into a roasting pan and set it in the oven to get very hot. When the potatoes are steamed, carefully place them to the hot oil and toss with a pair of tongs, so they're well oiled. Bake for 30 minutes, then give them a shake and put back in the oven for 20 more minutes.

While roasting, put a large pan on a strong heat, add the white wine, then add the shallots, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, and lemon zest, and simmer until the liquid has halved. Stir in the butter and herbs, then remove and discard the cloves and lemon zest. Now, the potatoes are likely cooked.

Mix the potatoes in the sauce, pepper and serve hot.