Pommes boulangère

Yes, just a potato gratin, but what a gratin! (Gratin is another French word we've yoinked off them... means top, upper crust, high quality. Fitting, don't you think, for such a tasty culinary interpretation?)

Decided to have a go at this little gem after seeing it in this month's Australian Gourmet Traveller. You see it, you have it at restaurants, you know about it, but you ain't never done cooked at it.

But of course, I forgot to look up the recipe. I lent the magazine to a friend and then had to remember the recipe. Lucky it's pretty easy and straightforward.

Pommes Boulangere

Big pile of peeled potatoes (I used various waxy pink and floury white ones)

Chicken or vegetable stock

Two brown onions, peeled

Salt and pepper

Sugar

Olive oil

Run the onions through the mandolin or V-Slicer or just use a sharp knife to slice them finely. Throw them in a saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar and some olive oil, and cook slowly until they caramelise and turn a rich golden brown.

Meanwhile, finely slice (as above) the potatoes. Get out your casserole dish (I used my gorgeous small Le Creuset stoneware) and layer some of the potatoes attractively over the bottom. Spread over some caramelised onion, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with potatoes and onion, finishing with onion. Pour over the stock, just coming to the top of the potatoes. Throw it in a preheated 190 C oven for a good hour and a half.

Yum!

It was great cold the next day for lunch, too.