Family friendly French

Baked whole Vacherin Mont d’Or with chat potatoes and cornichons

Name: Baked whole Vacherin Mont d’Or with chat potatoes and cornichons
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /french
Ingredients: 500g chat potatoes, peeled; 250g ripe but reasonably firm boxed Vacherin Mont d’Or* or camembert; 1 tsp dry white wine; Cornichons* and crusty French bread, to serve

1 rating

10m

15m

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This recipe is a lot of fun, and is based on the idea of a raclette; but to me the problem with raclette made with the traditional Swiss cheese is it’s pretty boring and actually very indigestible, too. Substitute that for a nice ripe washed-rind cheese in a box, such as camembert or, better still, a Vacherin Mont d’Or – Swiss or French (available between October and March) – and you have something altogether much nicer.

500g chat potatoes, peeled
250g ripe but reasonably firm boxed Vacherin Mont d’Or* or camembert
1 tsp dry white wine
Cornichons* and crusty French bread, to serve

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2.

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, well-salted water, then bring to the boil. Cook for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain, then return potatoes to the pan, cover and keep warm.
3.

Meanwhile, remove the cheese from its box and, if using camembert, remove its paper wrapping. Cut a thin slice horizontally off the top of the rind, then replace it and drop the cheese back into the box. Pierce the top of the cheese a few times with a fine skewer and drizzle with the white wine. Replace the box lid and bake the cheese in the oven for about 15 minutes or until it is heated through and the centre has melted.
4.

Transfer the cheese, in its box, to a large serving platter, uncover and pull back the top layer of rind.
5.

Serve immediately, accompanied by the potatoes, cornichons and chunks of French bread for dipping.