It's authentically French. It's appropriate for the season. It's delicious. Please welcome...
FRENCH TARTIFLETTE
Your new culinary best friend.
Tartiflette is a French dish from the Savoie region. It originated in the valley of Aravis, home of Reblochon cheese. It is not a traditional dish, and was invented and launched only in the 1980s by the Reblochon trade union in an attempt to increase sales of the cheese. Different valleys in the region have different methods of producing tartiflette and there is probably more than one recipe per village.
All recipes have potatoes, cheese, and some kind of meat such as bacon. It is extremely popular at mountain restaurants during the ski season since it is savoury, high in calories and relatively easy to cook and keep warm for an hour or more without deterioration in quality.
The following recipe will allow you to make your own Tartiflette. It takes about 35 minutes to prep and 35 more minutes to cook:
You will need:
3 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
7 slices of bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons of creme fraiche
1 8-ounce round Reblochon cheese
salt and black ground pepper to taste
Now here is the catch. Three things on this list complicate the matter. White wine...what about the word of wisdom. Does that extend to cooking with alcohol? Won't it be cooked out? What are your thoughts on that?
The other two are difficult to find international items. Reblochon cheese? Not available at Albertson's, I checked. Creme fraiche, again, Smith's doesn't carry it. So it won't be easy. BUT...if you manage to make a delicious tartiflette, take a picture and submit it to us, our judges here at the blog will award the best Tartiflette a gift card to the bookstore. On your mark, get set, GO!!
Here is the recipe:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
2. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
3. Stir-fry bacon in a skillet over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Remove bacon; pour off bacon fat. In the same skillet, melt the butter, add onions, and cook and stir until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan, add the wine, and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. Remove from heat.
4. Place 1/2 of the potatoes into the prepared dish; then spread 1/2 of the bacon mixture over the potatoes. Layer in the remaining potatoes, then spread the creme fraiche over them. Add the remaining half of the bacon mixture. Cut the rind from the Reblochon, cut it into thin slices, and layer the slices evenly over the top of the casserole.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and a bit brown, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Take a picture when your done, send it in, and you could be the winner!
Here are some reviews of people like you who have had success with the dish.
"was VERY yummy! a quick warning...if you can find the reblochon like it calls for, it smells pretty nasty (a combo of sweaty feet and B.O) BUT the final product DOES NOT taste like you are eating feet! I loved it!"
Well, that's good to know...
"Used a whole pound of bacon, but other than that made exactly as directed and was it ever wonderful! Husband took leftovers to work the next day for lunch and everyone asked what he was warming up since it smelled so good. Thanks!"
Now I'm confused.
Anyway, best of luck and I'll let you know how it goes with me as I search high and low for that hard to find Reblochon cheese and for quotes from general conference about cooking with wine.
Much Love,
Pete
