Tartiflette

Step 1: Boil the whole 2 ¼ lb waxy potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until just tender to a knife. Drain, cool for 5 minutes and slice 5 mm thick.

Step 2: Heat the oven to 400°F (fan 350°F). Fry the 7 oz smoked bacon lardons in a frying pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes, add ½ oz butter and 2 onions and cook for 10 minutes more until the onions are soft and golden and the lardons crisp.

Step 3: Rub a 25 cm baking dish with the cut 1 clove garlic. Layer half the potatoes, then the onion and lardons, then the rest of the potatoes, seasoning with ½ tsp black pepper and a little ½ tsp salt (the cheese and bacon are salty). Spoon the ¾ cup crème fraîche over.

Step 4: Cut the 16 oz Reblochon cheese in half horizontally, then each half in two, and lay the pieces rind-side up on top. A common mistake is cutting the cheese into small cubes; whole slabs melt slowly into the layers rather than going oily.

Step 5: Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top is golden and bubbling, and the centre is piping hot.

Step 6: Rest for 5 minutes before serving with salad.