Ingredients

• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz medium sized
• red-skinned potatoes
• such as Désirée
• 75g/3oz butter
• plus extra to serve
• 1 large white onion
• finely sliced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bulb garlic
• cut in half horizontally
• 10 thick slices smoked dry-cured streaky bacon
• 1 x 250g/9oz whole petit Reblochon cheese
• rind removed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 free-range egg yolk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100g/3½oz mixed salad leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Place the whole potatoes in a large pan
• cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
• While cooking
• heat a frying pan until medium-hot
• add a knob of the butter
• onion and thyme and gently fry for 5-8 minutes
• or until softened
• but not coloured.
• Drain the potatoes and
• when they are cool enough to handle
• scrape the skins off using a table knife and cut them into thick slices (about 5mm thick).
• Rub the cut side of the garlic all over the inside of an ovenproof dish
• then smear on some butter.
• Place the sliced onions into the dish and spread out over the base
• then lay six slices of bacon across the top. Lay the potatoes in concentric circles over the top
• then place the cheese in the centre. Top with half the remaining butter and season with freshly ground black pepper and a touch of salt.
• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes
• or until the potatoes are lovely and crisp around the edges and the cheese is totally melted.
• While the tartiflette is cooking
• melt the remaining butter and chop the remaining slices of bacon into small pieces. Heat a frying pan
• add the bacon and cook over a medium heat until the fat starts to render out
• then turn the heat up and cook until crisp and browned.
• To make the dressing
• whisk the Dijon mustard
• vinegar and egg yolk together until pale then very slowly add the vegetable oil
• whisking all the time until the mixture emulsifies. Pour the mixture into the hot fat from the bacon pan and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss the crisp bacon with the salad leaves and toss with a little of the dressing.
• Remove the tartiflette from the oven and brush with a little melted butter. Serve in slices with the dressed salad.