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Try out a luxurious gratin featuring potatoes, smoked trout, and cavolo nero, all smothered in a aromatic cream sauce and crowned with a cheesy crust. The gratin is the ultimate comforting potato main course. And for flavorful take on classic roasties, try crisp roast potatoes tossed in a lightly spiced butter emulsion made with white wine.

Smoked Trout and Cavolo Nero Potato Gratin

Prep 15 min
Cook 2 hr 15 min
Serves 4

600ml double cream
3 garlic, peeled and bashed
2 stalks fresh rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
Zest of 1 lemon
A pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper
25g butter
1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
200g cavolo nero, de-stemmed, leaves chopped
750g starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
200g sliced smoked trout
3 sprigs fresh dill, minced
150g shredded gruyere

Add the cream into a saucepan and mix in the garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, and a grating of nutmeg. Salt liberally with salt and white pepper, then place over a medium-low heat and bring to a gentle bubble for about 10 minutes, to blend and thicken. Scoop out and discard the garlic and herbs.

Heat the butter in a skillet on a medium heat, add the sliced onions and cook for a few minutes, until translucent. Stir in the cavolo nero, season well and cook until the cabbage wilts. Remove from the heat.

Arrange the thinly sliced potatoes in a row in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Top with a layer of the onions and cavolo nero, then drizzle some of the cream mixture and pepper. Top with portions of smoked trout and a handful of chopped dill, then sprinkle over some cheese. Continue the process until you fill the top of the baking dish, so that the last layer is potatoes topped with cream and cheese.

Cook at 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½ for 105 minutes, or until tender all the way through.

Spiced White Wine Roasties

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

6 starchy potatoes, peeled and halved
1 stock cube
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp oil
200ml dry white wine
½ shallot, peeled and chopped
3 garlic, peeled and minced
A pinch of nutmeg
2 whole cloves
Peel from 1 lemon, in strips
50g rich butter
2 branches rosemary, leaves plucked and minced
2 stalks thyme, leaves removed and finely chopped
3 branches fresh sage, leaves plucked and finely chopped

Add the prepared potatoes in a saucepan of water, include the stock cube and salt with salt. Boil , then simmer the potatoes for seven to 10 minutes, until they easily pierced. Remove water, then cover a tea towel over the colander and allow to rest for 10 minutes. At the same time, preheat the oven to 200C.

Add the oil into a roasting pan and set it in the oven to get very hot. When the potatoes are dried, slowly transfer them to the hot oil and coat with a tongs, so they're evenly covered. Roast for 30 minutes, then shake the tray and put back in the oven for 20 more minutes.

While roasting, set a large pan on a strong heat, include the white wine, then stir in the shallots, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, and lemon zest, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the butter and herbs, then fish out and discard the cloves and lemon zest. Now, the potatoes ought to be done.

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