Reblochon cheese from the Alps arrives in the cheese shops from May and reminds us to make tartiflette, the famous dish from France’s Haute-Savoie region made with cheese, bacon, potatoes and onions. This version also has chicken and kale and it needs no accompaniment. It makes a hefty portion but it’s hard not to go back for more.
Wine Suggestion: We would suggest finding a white from the Jura, usually made from Savagnin, Chardonnay, or a blend of the two. Even better try to find a Vin Jaune, which is aged in oak under a Voile, similar to the Flor of sherry, and with similar characteristics. We had a beautiful Côtes du Jura, the Cuvée de Garde by Anne & Jean-François Ganevat. An equal blend of the two grapes and held under voile for 48 months (not long enough to classify as a Vin Jaune) which allowed the fruit to sing alongside the nutty, voile aromas.
Chicken tartiflette – serves 4 (generously)
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium chicken, about 1.5kg, jointed into 8 pieces (we used 8 chicken thighs)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 200ml white wine
- 2 litres chicken stock
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
FOR THE TARTIFLETTE:
- 1kg waxy potatoes, like Charlotte, sliced 1cm thick
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200g smoked bacon lardons
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 50g plain flour
- 300ml double cream
- 400g curly kale, blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes and roughly chopped (discard any thick stalks)
- 400g Reblochon cheese, broken or cut into pieces
Start by cooking the chicken. Heat a large sauté pan over a high heat, add the olive oil and the chicken pieces – skin side down to start. Cook until browned all over, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan then add the onion and garlic and sweat until the onion has softened. Add the white wine and reduce until almost evaporated. Add the chicken stock, thyme and bay, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a very gentle simmer (you might need to transfer to a large pot to fit it all in).
Return the chicken pieces to the pan and cook very gently until just cooked – about 10 minutes for the breasts. Remove any breast pieces from the pan with some of the broth and leave to cool in the broth. Continue to cook the leg meat for another 30 minutes, then take off the heat and leave to cool in the broth.
When cooled take the chicken out of the broth, remove the skin and bones and cut into large pieces. Strain the broth and reserve for later.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Simmer the potato slices in boiling, salted water until almost tender, then drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the bacon lardons and cook until coloured, then remove from the pan and add the onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, then stir in the garlic. Add the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cream with 200ml of the reserved strained chicken braising liquid and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring. Remove from the heat and season.
Fold the chicken and bacon through the cream mixture, along with the kale, 300g of the cheese and the potatoes. Pour into a large baking dish and top with the remaining 100g of cheese, then bake until golden brown (about 20 to 30 minutes).
(Original recipe from The Skills by Monica Galetti, Quadrille, 2016.)
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