Royale Gratin (Serves 4)
This is one of those dishes that is really simple, and makes a great accompaniment to steak or something similar, which I've been doing as part of my Slimming World journey. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
250g pack Smoked Back Bacon, roughly chopped
250ml 0% fat crème fraîche
150ml vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, crushed
750g Jersey Royal new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
100g bag watercress or spinach, roughly chopped
50g Gruyère, grated
Method:
Place the bacon in a large, non-stick frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned.
Add the crème fraîche to the pan, then stir in the stock and add the garlic. Bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, bring to a simmer then cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to reduce the liquid slightly. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Remove from the heat and stir in the watercress. Pour into a warmed 1.5-litre ovenproof dish (or use the frying pan if the handle is heatproof) and top with the cheese. Place under a preheated hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden
Note: Any cheese can be used really, we've used Cheddar and Parmesan, it's more down to personal taste! :-)