Wild mushroom, potato & pancetta gratin

• garlic cloves↗6
• onion↗1

  halved

• bay leaves↗3
• thyme sprigs↗3

  plus a sprinkle of leaves

• pot double cream↗600ml ml
• whole milk↗600ml ml
• diced pancetta↗140g g
• butter↗25g g

  plus a knob

• wild mushrooms250g g

  roughly chopped after cleaning

• medium potato↗1 ¼kg kg

  (we used Maris Piper)

• whole nutmeg↗1
• green salad

  to serve (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the garlic cloves, onion, bay leaves, thyme, double cream and milk in a pan. Bring slowly to the boil over a low heat, partially cover with a lid and cook for 20-30 mins until the onion is tender and the cream mixture slightly thickened. Turn off and leave everything to infuse for 1 hr.

2. 2

   Strain the cream mixture into a jug (or bowl) and discard the herbs. Put the garlic cloves and onion in a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth – add a drop of the cream if it helps. Stir the paste back into the rest of the cream and season with 2 tsp salt.

3. 3

   Put the pancetta in a cold frying pan and cook gently, over a low-medium heat so the fat melts into the pan, until the pancetta is really crispy. Lift out with a slotted spoon, add the butter and mushrooms and turn up the heat, frying the mushrooms, until golden and dry.

4. 4

   Leave the skins on the potatoes and slice as thinly as possible. Grease a large baking dish with a little more butter. Layer up the potato slices, scattering over some of the cooked pancetta, the mushrooms and a little freshly grated nutmeg and pepper as you go. Finish by slowly pouring over the cream so that it settles among all the layers, then scatter over a few more thyme leaves. Cover with foil.

5. 5

   Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the gratin for 1 hr, then remove the foil and bake for 35-45 mins more until golden and crispy on top. Poke a knife in to check the potatoes are tender, then leave for 10-15 mins to settle, before serving with a salad, if you like.