-ALEX'S NORMANDYPOTATOES

This is so lightand creamy that it is difficultto believe that it is only potatoes in an onion and cheese sauce. There are two ways of making it. Alex cooks the raw slices of potato in the sauce, which means stirring almost continuously for 20-25 minutes to ensure that the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan, but which saves washing up an extra saucepan. The much quickeralternative is to boil the potatoes separately and stir them into the sauce just before baking. Potatoes with a waxy texture are preferable, such as A\cmaria, Arran Comet or Pentland Javelin.

Serve alone orwith a plainlycooked vegetable like cabbage, broccoli or Brussels sprouts. For 2 if eaten alone or 3 if with a vegetable.

I Ib/500 g potatoes

Salt

2 medium onions

I dried chilli

I pintl600 ml milk

I oz/25 g Parmesan cheese

1f2 oz/15 g butter

I tablespoon oil

I oz/25 g flour

Pepper

3 oz/90 g Cheddar cheese

Shallow ovenware dish about 12 inehesl30 em long and 8'/2 inehesl22 em wide

• METHOD.

Scrub the potatoes, peel off any green patches and cut out eyes and sprouts. Slice very thinly. The quality of the dish depends on the slices being really thin. Ifyou aregoingto boil them separately, just cover with slightly salted water, bring to the boil and boil gently for 4-5 minutes or until just (but only just) tender, then drain.

2 Peel the onions and slice into very thin rounds. Wash and dry the chilli, trim the stalk end, remove all the seeds and dice the flesh as finely as possible. Do not touch your eyes while chopping it and wash your hands immediately afterwards.

3 Heat but do not boil the milk. Grate the Parmesan. Melt the butter in the oil over low heat and fry the onion for 8-10 minutes or until soft but not brown. Add the chilli and fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the flour. As soon as it is absorbed, pour in the milk slowly, stirring continuously; keep stirring until it has thickened into a sauce. Season lightly with salt and more generously with pepper and add the potatoes. If they are already cooked, simmer for 3-4 minutes and remove from the heat. If they are uncooked, simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring very frequently, until they are just soft. Stir in the Parmesan.

4 Pre-heat the oven to 400°F, 200°C, Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease the ovenware dish. Pour in the hot potatoes and sauce. Grate the Cheddar and sprinkle over the top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.