Christmas is coming...

I think M and I have ordered all the goodies from Ocado that we need for the family festive feast. We are having a fabulous collection of yummy canapés followed by a warming Nigella chicken and sausage dish with an assortment of tasty accompaniments. I noticed this recipe in the Waitrose ‘Seasons Christmas magazine’ which might be a lighter substitute for my first thought of Gratin Dauphinoise and I really like the idea that I can cook it ahead of time.

Boulangère Potatoes with Leek, Celery and Garlic

The beauty of this dish, apart from its fabulous flavour, is that you can make it up to 2 days in advance. Cook for 40 minutes, then cool, cover and chill. On the day, reheat for 25-30 minutes until golden and tender.

Serves 8

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time 1 hour 15 minutes

75g butter, plus extra for greasing

1 tbsp olive oil

2 x 400g packs trimmed leeks, thinly sliced

1 celery heart, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1.2kg King Edward potatoes, sliced 5mm thick

½ x 20g pack fresh flat-leaf parsley

800ml hot vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. In a large frying pan, melt 25g of the butter with the oil. Add the leeks and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring until soft. Season well and stir in the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes and set aside.

Grease a large deep baking dish (about 24cm x 30cm x 5cm). Spread a third of the cooked leek and celery in the bottom of the dish. Now layer a third of the potatoes on top with a third of the parsley, roughly chopped. Repeat with two more layers. Pour over the vegetable stock and dot with the remaining butter.

Bake for about 1 hour, or until golden and the potatoes are tender.

And of course after all that they’ll be a delicious cheeseboard and a plethora of dessert delights lined up including the chocolate ginger pots I mentioned before. Christmas is coming…