Ingredients
- 400ml milk
- 200ml cream
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 600g potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly (a mandolin would be perfect for this job)
- ½ turnip, peeled and sliced thinly
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp creamed horseradish
- 2 fillets smoked mackerel, skin and bones removed, flaked
- 100g grated Cheddar cheese
- For the spiced pickled cucumber:
- 100ml rice wine vinegar (white wine vinegar can substitute)
- 100ml water
- 100ml caster sugar
- 1cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
1 Preheat an oven to 180 degrees, or equivalent.
2 Place the milk, cream, crushed garlic, potatoes, turnip, salt and pepper into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil over a low heat. Stir a few times to make sure the potatoes are evenly coated with the milk/cream mixture.
3 Simmer for at least 20 minutes until the potatoes are just tender, taking care that the potatoes don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
4 Stir in the horseradish.
5 Turn half the potato mixture into a shallow oven-proof dish.
6 Scatter the smoked mackerel over the potatoes. Spoon the remaining mixture on top.
7 Sprinkle the grated Cheddar over the potatoes.
8 Bake for around 35-40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
For the pickled cucumber:
1 Bring the vinegar, water, sugar and ginger to the boil.
2 Allow to cool.
3 Add the cucumber and keep in a sealed jar in the fridge until needed
4 This will keep for up to a week. I use the pickling liquid as the basis for a salad dressing with a little hint of cream to thicken.
