Potato Brandade with Comté

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Finely grate the Comté. Measure out the cream, olive oil and butter. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan / gas 6).

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold well-salted water, and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 18–22 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife.

While the potatoes cook, combine the cream, olive oil, whole garlic cloves, thyme and bay leaf in a small saucepan over the lowest possible heat. Warm gently for 15 minutes until the garlic is completely soft and the cream is fragrant — it must not simmer.

Drain the potatoes thoroughly, return them to the pot over low heat, and shake for 1–2 minutes until all surface moisture has evaporated.

Pass the potatoes through a fine-mesh ricer or food mill into a large bowl — never use a blender or food processor, which will turn the starch gluey.

Discard the thyme and bay leaf from the infused cream. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves through a fine sieve into the cream and whisk to combine.

Add the butter to the riced potatoes and fold in with a wooden spoon, then pour in the warm infused cream in three additions, folding between each until fully absorbed.

Fold in 100 g of the grated Comté along with the white pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust salt.

Butter a medium gratin dish (approximately 25 cm). Spread the brandade mixture in an even layer, smoothing the top with a spatula. Scatter the remaining 50 g of Comté evenly over the surface and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Bake on the top rack of the oven for 20–25 minutes until the surface is deep golden and bubbling at the edges.

Remove from the oven, finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.