Cheesy potato and turnip gratin

This is a lovely gratin to serve with roast chicken, lamb or beef and it reheats beautifully in the oven at 120°C/Gas ½ if you have any left over. You could use an alternative hard or semi-hard cheese, such as Cheddar or Gruyère, if you like.

SERVES 4–6

350g medium waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte or Bintje

200g turnips

400ml double cream

50ml milk

A knifetip of freshly grated nutmeg

150g Hafod hard cheese, or a young, firm Comté, grated

1 small garlic clove, halved

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas 3.

Peel and wash the potatoes, then cut into fine slices, 2–3mm thick. Spread the slices out on your work surface, sprinkle generously with salt and rub together well. Gather them into a heap and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Peel the turnips, then wash and cut into fine slices, 3–4mm thick. Season lightly with salt, rub together well, then gather into a heap and leave for about 5 minutes.

Pour the cream and milk into a large pan and place over a medium heat. Add the nutmeg and a grinding of pepper and heat gently. As soon as it is warm, take small handfuls of the potato slices and squeeze out all the water, then add to the cream mixture. Repeat with the turnips.

Gently mix the potatoes and turnips into the cream mixture and bring to the boil, still over a medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, then remove from the heat and mix in the grated cheese.

Rub the inside of a gratin dish with the cut garlic clove, dipping it from time to time into salt. Pour the potato and turnip mixture into the dish and spread it out into an even layer. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until tender and golden brown on the surface.

Leave the gratin to stand in a warm place for 15–20 minutes. Serve straight from the dish or, if you prefer, cut out individual portions using a 5–7cm plain cutter.