Potato and Smoked Mackerel Dauphinoise

• Recipe by Nigel Slater

A variation on the classic French pommes dauphinoise. You might need some salad leaves, perhaps arugula or baby spinach, to wipe up the mustardy, smoky cream from your plate.

Ingredients

1. 1 pound large new potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
2. 1/2 pound smoked mackerel or smoked trout fillets, skinned, flesh broken into large pieces
3. 2 bay leaves
4. 2 cups heavy cream
5. 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In an 8-by-10-inch gratin dish, gently toss the potatoes with the mackerel and bay leaves. In a bowl, mix the cream with the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Pour the cream over the potatoes and bake for about 1 hour, or until the cream has thickened and the potatoes are golden and tender. Discard the bay leaves before serving.