- 600 ml hot water
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tsp + 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Medium baking dish
- Mandonline or food processor (optional)
- Large frying pan or wok
- 1.
Preheat your oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Fill and boil the kettle. Crumble the stock cube into a large jug then pour 600ml hot water from the kettle. Peel and grate in or crush 2 garlic cloves. Squeeze in the mustard. Add the thyme leaves with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
- 2.
Scrub and slice your potatoes as thinly as possible 1/2 cm if possible. If you have a mandoline or a slicing attachment on a food processor, use that. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel the apples and quarter them. Slice out the cores then thinly slice. Place all the prepared veg and apples into a medium sized baking dish- they can be in a 4-5 cm thick layer.
- 3.
Pour half of the stock over the top. Then pour the pot of cream into the jug with the remaining stock and whisk. Pour that over the potatoes. Gently lift and turn the potatoes to coat them in the liquid. Press down so that most of the potatoes are submerged. Cover the dish with foil and slide into the oven for 30 mins.
- 4.
When the dauphinoise has cooked for 45 mins, remove it from the oven. The potatoes should be tender when pierced with a knife. Slide back into the oven to bake for 20 mins, uncovered.
- 5.
Finely shred the sprout tops. Remove the pork escalopes from their packaging and pat dry. Peel and grate or crush the 2 remaining garlic cloves onto a large plate. Add the fennel seeds, a good pinch of salt and pepper then mix in 2 tsp olive oil to form a paste. Place the pork escalopes onto the plate and rub in the garlicky mix. Set to one side.
- 6.
When the dauphinoise has cooked for a further 15 mins, remove it from the oven. It should be lightly browned. Place the pork escalopes on top so that they are not over lapping. Slide back into the oven for 10-15 mins till the pork is cooked through.
- 7.
While the pork is cooking, place a large frying pan or wok on a high heat for a couple of mins. Drizzle in 1/2 tbsp olive oil then add the sprout tops and stir fry for 5 mins till softened and bright green.
- 8.
Remove the dauphinoise from the oven. Check the pork is cooked through by cutting the thickest part of one of the escalopes. There should be no pink. Lift the escalopes on to each plate and serve with a generous spoonful of the potato and apple dauphinoise and the sprout tops on the side.
- Tip
Room for 2?
The dauphinoise can be baked in a medium sized baking dish, with high sides. The potatoes can be arranged in a 4-5 cm thick layer. Make sure the liquid just about covers all the potatoes. Add a little more water if you need to. - Tip
The cooked dauphinoise will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Divide it into individual tubs, cool then seal and chill or freeze. Defrost completely before reheating in the microwave, or warm in the oven in a dish loosely covered with foil till piping hot all the way through.