A GLOBALISED GUIDE TO THE BEST IN FOOD: COOKING IT, EATING IT AND ENJOYING IT!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Potato and anchovy gratin

This is a recipe taken from the River Café cookbook. If you are not an anchovy lover do not be alarmed you actually can’t taste them but they add an incredibly deep and rich flavour, not at all fishy. These potatoes are seriously good, and I mean seriously good. Very hearty, but really intense flavours and would need to accompany and equally strong flavoured dish.

Ingredients: serves 6

1kg waxy potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
50g unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
20 salted anchovy fillets
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 crumbled dried red chillies
100g grated Parmesan
300 ml fresh double cream
sea salt and black pepper


Preheat oven to 190C/375F

Peel potatoes and cut lengthways into 5mm disks - soak in water for 5 mins.

Heat the oil and butter, add the garlic over a low to medium flame and fry for 2 mins, don’t let them brown as they will taste bitter. Add the anchovies and melt to make a sauce.

Add the rosemary and chilli. Stir and remove from heat.

Drain the potatoes, pat dry and mix with the sauce, half the parmesan and cream. Season (lightly, remember the anchovies are quite salty), layer in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 25 mins.

Remove the foil, turn the potatoes, sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and bake for another 15 mins or until golden and crisp.

Not a calorie in sight but mighty tasty.

No comments: