French Onion Potatoes with Baked Brie
Serves four as a side
Tip: If you can’t find brie in a box, use camembert or you could use Vacherin, when in season.
- 100g butter
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 50ml red wine vinegar
- Splash of brandy
- 24 new potatoes, peeled and halved
- 500ml beef or vegetable stock
- 1 whole Brie (or any British soft cheese) in its box
- Olive oil, to drizzle
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a pan, add the onions, season and cook slowly, for 20–25 minutes, until really sticky and soft. Add the vinegar and continue to cook until soft and golden. Grind another good sprinkling of pepper and cook for a further minute. Stir in a good splash of brandy and cook for a minute but don’t cook all the booze off. Add the potatoes and coat well.
2. Pour the stock over the onions and potatoes, bring to the boil and season if needed (be careful as stock can be salty). Simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the stock has reduced. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
3. Remove the wax paper from the cheese, lay a piece of baking parchment in the box, then place the cheese back in its box and set aside (make sure the box is ovenproof and do not place the lid back on).
4. When the potatoes are ready, take off the heat. Spoon out the potatoes (leaving the onions and the stock) and arrange them around the edge of a large, round pie dish. Spoon the onions into the centre and pour in the stock left in the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and bake alongside the cheese, for 20–25 minutes. Serve the potatoes with the cheese to dip, like a fondue.
French Onion Potatoes recipe is by John and Lisa Torode from their book ‘John and Lisa’s Kitchen’
