Potato and leek gratin

Prep time - 15 minutes
Cook time - 45 minutes - 1 hour
Serves - 6
Difficulty - Easy

Ingredients

1 stock cube (to make 150ml stock)
1 tub creme fresh
125ml milk
3 garlic cloves (chopped finely)
2 bay leaves
1 whole onion
1 big leek (or 2 small)
50g Castle Dairies Salted Welsh Butter (plus extra for frying leeks/onions and greasing dish)
Salt/ pepper to season
700g potatoes (we used a mix but Maris piper work best)
125g grated cheddar cheese plus extra for top

Method

-Preheat your oven to 190(fan)

-Grease your oven proof dish

-Make your stock

-Add stock to saucepan, add in milk, creme fresh, butter, grated cheese, bay leaves and chopped garlic. Add salt / pepper to taste

-Bring to the boil and then turn heat down allowing to simmer for 3 mins, stir occasionally then take off heat and let rest till needed

-Chop your leek(s) and onion into thin slices

-Add a knob of butter to a frying pan, add the leeks/ onions and fry until soft, add salt and pepper to taste once soft, take off heat and leave rest until needed later

-Chop your potato’s into slices about 1/2cm thick and add to a pan of boiling water, add a pinch of salt and then reduce heat slightly. Let the potatoes cook until slightly softened, don’t let the potatoes get too soft or it will be difficult to arrange them into the fish at a later stage. Once softened, drain and allow to cool.

-Once your potatoes aren’t too hot to touch, you are now ready to assemble

-Start by arranging a layer of your chopped potatoes in the bottom of your over dish
Ours was circular so I started from the outside edge and worked my way towards the middle until the bottom was covered

Then add half of your leek/onion mix and spread evenly across the top of the potatoes

Now spoon in 1/3 of the white sauce

Repeat the last 3 steps again. (Potato layer, leek layer, sauce layer)

You should have enough potatoes left to cover over the top followed by the final 1/3 of white sauce. I then add some more grated cheese but this is optional

Put your dish in the oven and bake for 45mins – 1 hour

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving … enjoy!