I started off with a French theme for dinner this evening but then migrated towards an Italian influence. You see there were several dishes that I felt compelled to prepare because my mouth watered whenever I thought of them.

The first was a classic potato gratin, the recipe sourced from Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion. I placed a large, oblong Le Creuset baking dish in the oven that was laden with layer upon layer of thinly sliced potatoes sprinkled with ground nutmeg, sea salt and black pepper. This was smothered with a mixture of cream, milk and vintage cheddar and baked to bubbling, golden perfection. 

This potatoes partnered up perfectly with plump pieces of steak, with tonight’s choice being beef fillet. This was expertly barbecued by my husband so that it remained tender, juicy and blush pink on the inside. 

Transparent slices of fennel were tossed through crunchy cos lettuce and Valencia oranges to form a tangy, tasty salad dressed simply with lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt. 

The final dish for our Saturday night family dinner was a platter of garlic and basil scented bruschetta. The success of this dish depends on the sweetness of the tomatoes which are further enhanced by being left at room temperature. Do NOT refrigerate tomatoes otherwise they will lose their distinct aroma and moreish flavour. 

This is my favourite way of making bruschetta. Using a sharp knife, dice about 200-250 grams of sweet tomatoes, either Roma or grape variety, into 2cm pieces. Combine with half a cup of fresh basil leaves that have been torn into bite sized morsels. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste and leave for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to develop. 

In the meantime, thickly slice ciabatta or woodfired bread and toast on the BBQ or under the grill. When ready, brush immediately with extra virgin olive oil that has been heated on the stove top with 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Lay the oiled, flavoured bread onto a large platter and top with the tomato mixture. Serve and enjoy while the bread is still crisp and warm. 

Potato Gratin to serve 8 – 10 people as a side dish

Ingredients
8 large desiree potatoes – washed, peeled and thinly sliced. 
40 grams unsalted butter
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
ground nutmeg ( I used half a teaspoon, but it depends on your taste preference)
200 ml cream
400 ml milk
1 cup grated cheese (I used my favourite, Margaret River Vintage Cheddar)
2 cloves garlic, finely diced. 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan forced. 

Thoroughly grease the entire baking dish with butter – sides, corners, base. 

Layer the potatoes so that they slightly overlap and cover the base of your dish. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic. 

Add another layer of potatoes and repeat the seasoning process. 

After your final layer of potatoes, dot over small pieces of the remaining butter .

Place UNCOVERED into the oven for 30 minutes. 

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cheese and return to bake for another 10 minutes.

This is best eaten warm and the yummiest sections are those butted up against the sides of the dish because they tend to be extra crispy, cheesy and buttery.