A tartiflette is what is called un gratin in France. It's made with potatoes, onions, lardons (bacon) and Reblochon (or Reblochon-style) cheeses from the French Alps and is cooked in the oven. I picked up this cheese at the supermarket. It's a soft, washed-rind cheese that is very creamy when it melts. The rind is also good to eat.
I just read on Wikipedia that Reblochon is not currently available in the U.S. but substitutes are available there just as they are in France. One substitute is Raclette cheese. Another is a cheese called Délice du Jura, and a third is the cheese called Morbier — a gratin made with it is sometimes called une morbiflette. That's the one I'm going to try the next time I make a potato and cheese gratin.
.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia article about la tartiflette, in English. The idea is to cut the cheese into half-rounds or quarter-rounds. Cut each half- or quarter-round into slices so that each one has a rind side and a rindless side and put them, rind-sides up, on top of a couple of layers of pre-cooked, seasoned potatoes, onions, and lardons (more about that tomorrow) and bake it all in an oven-proof dish for 30 or 40 minutes so that the cheese melts and the rind on top turns golden brown and almost crispy.
Here's how my tartiflette came out yesterday. It was good comfort food on a chilly, gray winter day. By the way, the outdoor temperature this morning is 6.4ºC (43.5ºF) compared to low temperatures of between 27 and 33ºF for the past week or 10 days. It's supposed to rain all day...
I was just about to use the raclette I have sitting around - potatoes to use up and some canadian bacon - good to go for me!
ReplyDeletehard to find any good stinky cheese here
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try this recipe with the same ingredients a silly girl. 12 degrees here!
ReplyDeleteMy students have made this (or as close a version as they could), in the past, for a food unit, using Meunster cheese... less expensive for them, and easier to find. Very tasty :) Doug (whom you met) just got back from a ski trip to Austria, and I bet he had Tartiflette while there :) I think that he had it when they did a ski trip to Annecy... maybe Austria doesn't like to do French recipes LOL. Anyway, it made me think of his ski trip. It feels so exotic for an American to do a ski trip in Europe, but since they live in Boston, it's probably closer than going to pricey Colorado (of course, they usually ski in Vermont). It's a special treat for him, that he has done the past few years.
ReplyDeleteIt was -17.7 °C here yesterday morning. Crazy, crazy cold, and ice still all over our front driveway and yard. Today, we're inching up to 1°C at some point later in the day but it's currently -8°C.
I hope your cold symptoms haven't gotten worse, and that Walt is on the mend!
That looks so good! Perfect for the weather you’re having.
ReplyDeleteBettyAnn
I hope you two are feeling better. Your tartiflette looks scrumptious! We were able to buy imported Reblochon at a local cheesemonger here in the Okanagan Valley, BC but we found it much too strong for us in the tarteflette I made. My husband ate it dutifully but I will use your alternate cheese suggestions in the future. Tarteflettes are such a comfort food and I can’t wait to make it again soon. We’re at -1°C today (29°F in old money).
ReplyDelete