This a dish from Haute Savoie (which is where reblochon, one of my favourite French cheeses, is made). Tartiflette is a classic recipe though, and very widely known in France, if not elsewhere — surprisingly we discovered it from a woman who cooked it on the spot at Lézignan market and served it as a takeaway. Easy to make, and very sustaining! Reblochon is a soft cheese about the size of a camembert.
1 reblochon (cheese)
1 kg waxy potatoes
200 g lardons (diced smoked bacon)
1 onion
butter
1 large glass white wine (from Savoie or the Jura, naturally)
4 tbs cream
salt
pepper
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until a little undercooked. Reserve.
Melt the butter in a sauté pan and gently cook sliced onion and lardons, without letting them brown. Slice the potatoes thickly, add them and continue to cook gently for 10 minutes.
Add the white wine and allow to reduce. Season with salt and pepper.
To prepare the reblochon, you should just cut it in half horizontally — connoisseurs leave the rind on. You can scrape some if it off with a sharp knife if you want.
Preheat the oven to moderately hot, butter a gratin dish, and put the potato mixture in it. Pour over the cream (actually this is a bit excessive — you can leave it out if you want). Place the halves of reblochon on top, rind-side upwards, and put in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted into the potatoes. Mmmm … Serve with a green salad dressed with a walnut oil dressing.