Vegetable Pot-au-Feu with Comté

Preheat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C for a fan oven. Combine the crème fraîche, horseradish, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Arrange the leeks, carrots, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, onions, and garlic on a large rimmed baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and toss to coat, keeping the pieces in a single layer.

Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until the cut surfaces are deeply golden and caramelised at the edges.

Transfer the roasted vegetables and any collected juices into a large, wide pot. Add the potatoes, pour over the vegetable stock, and add the bouquet garni, peppercorns, and cloves. The stock should just cover the vegetables; top up with water if needed.

Bring the pot to a vigorous boil over high heat, then reduce immediately to a gentle simmer — the surface should tremble rather than bubble. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.

Discard the bouquet garni. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins directly into the broth and stir gently to dissolve.

Toast the sourdough slices under the grill for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.

Lay the Comté slices across the toasted sourdough and grill for 3–4 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and beginning to bubble and blister at the edges.

Ladle the vegetables and generous amounts of hot broth into four wide, deep bowls. Lay a Comté-topped crouton across the rim of each bowl. Scatter with parsley and chives, add a pinch of fleur de sel, and serve immediately with the horseradish cream and cornichons alongside.