NORMANDY-STYLE BOULANGÈRE POTATOES

Boulangère potatoes are enjoyed all across France. They date back to the days when people didn’t have ovens in the home. Wives would slice the potatoes and onions into a clearly labeled casserole dish and stop by the local boulangère (baker) on their way to church on a Sunday morning. The baker, who had just finished making the day’s bread and whose ovens were still hot, would charge a small fee to cook the potatoes and often a leg of lamb. This would be collected on the way home from church and be the centerpiece of the family’s Sunday feast.

This potato dish is considered “Normandy-style” because of its use of leeks. Normandy, in northern France, is famous for its rolling countryside, orchards full of apples (read Calvados), and fields of leeks. It is the leeks, however, that transform this classic dish into something regional and spectacular. Use a good quality smoked bacon.

4 large Russet potatoes, about 2 pounds

1 large leek, rinsed and thinly sliced

4 slices raw bacon, diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme

2 cups homemade or canned chicken broth

½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and finely slice the potatoes to about ⅛ inch thick. Lay one-third of the potatoes in an ovenproof baking dish. Add half of the sliced leeks, the diced bacon, and chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle on the thyme. Make a second layer using one-third of the potatoes, and the remaining leeks, bacon, and garlic. Again season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the remaining potatoes, overlapping and arranging them in a decorative pattern.

2. Pour the chicken broth over the potatoes, and brush the top layer with the melted butter. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for about 1 hour. Remove the foil during the last 20 minutes of baking to allow the top layer of potatoes to brown and get crispy. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS