Potato and Cabbage Gratin

Restaurant: Rockpool Bar and Grill (Victoria)

Recipe from Chef Neil Perry (appeared in Australian Gourmet traveler: August 2007)

2009 Rating: Number 15, 2 Stars

I've been to Rockpool in Melbourne a couple of times now, and everytime we go we have the potato and cabbage gratin. It tastes amazing so when I found a recipe for it, I couldnt resist making it. Stay tuned for the results, so here the recipe.

Prep time 1 hur 20 minutes, cook 1 hour 55 minutes
Serves 6 as a side dish

4 medium bintje potatoes, scrubbed and peeled

50 gm Gruyere, coarsely grated

250 mL (1 cup) pouring cream

50 gm parmesan, finely grated

50 gm fine sour dough breadcrumbs

BRAISED CABBAGE

1/4 (500 gm) savoy cabbage, finely sliced

50 mL extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 brown onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

750 mL dry white wne

2 tbsp cabernet or red wine vinegar

40 gm caster sugar

METHOD

1. For braised cabbage, place cabbage in a colander in a large bowl and scatter with 1 tbsp sea salt. Stand for 1 hour to drainand discard liquid. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add onion and a pinch of sea salt, cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add cabbage, wine, vinegar and sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until liquid is almost evaporated. Season to taste with sea salt and white pepper. Cool.

2. Preheat oven to 150C. Spoon cabbage into 1 liter capacity gratin dish, spread evenly to cover base and scatter with Gruyere. Using a mondolin, slice potatoes lengthways into 2mm-thick slices. Arrange potatoes over cabbage, overlapping each slice by half until cabbage is covered, season to taste. Cover with another layer of potatoes. Pour over cream, allowing to seep between the layers. Bake for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove, scatter with parmesan and breadcrumbs and return to the oven. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden. Serve as a side with grilled meats or fish.