Tart London: How to make Potato and fennel gratin

The chillier it gets outside, the more inclined we are to huddle inside and cook something fabulously comforting like this gratin.

There’s nothing better than getting back from a long walk in the crisp air and piling into the kitchen for a big mug of spicy mulled wine or cider, knowing that a warming, hearty supper is bubbling away in the oven, all cheesy and creamy and crispy on top.

This is also great comfort food during the party season — after a night of magically re-filling champagne glasses, this is all we crave for lunch the next day. We stick on The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’ and get on with doing what we love most together: cooking, eating and nattering away.

This is the third dish of our ultimate Christmas spread. We’re focusing on the beloved spud, so instrumental to a traditional festive feast. This gratin is a nice alternative to the classic roastie. It’s also something you could very happily have alone one evening with a lemony rocket salad and a cold glass of white wine. It’s a bold dish, with lots of punchy but harmonising flavours. It might seem like a heavy option for a Christmas spread, but not if you keep everything else light and fresh. After all, you always need something a bit naughty on the table.

Potato and fennel gratin (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp dried fennel seeds

2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, pressed

10 anchovies

Medium bunch of sage, roughly chopped

Small bunch of thyme, finely chopped

100ml vermouth

600g single cream

300g ricotta

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 leeks, sliced

2 potatoes, thinly sliced

3 tbsp Parmesan

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Heat the butter over a medium heat and add the fennel seeds, sliced fennel, garlic, anchovies and herbs.

Stir until the sliced fennel starts to soften and the anchovies break up. Pour in the vermouth then add the cream, ricotta, lemon zest and nutmeg. Stir, then take off the heat and season well. Put the leeks and potatoes in a large oven-proof dish and pour over the creamy mixture. Sprinkle over the Parmesan and place in the oven for 40 minutes until nice and crisp.