A recipe for a rainy day. We complain about the rain, but really we are so lucky to get lots of rainy days to water our crops. Our brilliant broccoli is really thriving in this perfect mix of heat and rain, why not add some extras to your order for the freezer? This is a great meal in its own right, but is also a satisfying side to a Sunday roast. What would you pair it with?
Liz x
Ingredients
- potatoes – approx 10
- milk (any milk you like works, I use oat) – approx 500ml
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 heads of broccoli
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- grated cheese – approx 3 handfuls
Method
- Turn your oven to 200C and find a large, oven and hob safe pot with a lid.
- Thinly slice the potatoes using a mandolin, machine or very sharp knife. Add them to the pot and pour in the milk. You want to add just enough so that you can see the milk, but don’t cover the potatoes or you will end up with a sloppy gratin.
- Stir in the mustard and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer the potatoes with the seasoned milk until they are just soft. Put the lid on the pan but stir often to ensure the potatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. The potatoes will release starch into the milk and thicken it in a sort of béchamel.
- Meanwhile separate the stalk from the broccoli and trim as little as possible off the root end. Thinly slice the broccoli stalk and put to one side, then cut the tops into florets.
- When the potatoes are cooked, stir through the broccoli stalk slices and taste the sauce for seasoning. Adjust as needed with more salt or pepper.
- Top the gratin with the florets, drizzle with oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, put the lid on and place the pot in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or so.
- When the broccoli is tender, remove the lid, sprinkle with cheese and pop the pot back in the oven again to melt the cheese and brown the top. Serve in big scoops and enjoy!
