This is your nan’s potato bake for a new age. Because, kale. And fancy cheese. No matter how you spin it, this side dish is the ultimate wingman. Whether it’s for braised meats or some crisp and bitter greens, it’s a truly great culinary friend to have on hand.

　　Note: If your slow cooker doesn’t have a sauté function, simply prepare these few elements in a frying pan on the stove and thoroughly scrape them into the bowl of your slow cooker.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4–6

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, washed thoroughly, finely sliced

　　½ small bunch of flat-leaf kale, stems removed, leaves chopped

　　375 ml (12½ fl oz; 1½ cups) heavy cream

　　125 ml (4 fl oz; ½ cup) chicken or vegetable stock

　　85 g (3 oz) gruyère, grated

　　125 g (4½ oz) Parmesan, grated

　　150 g (5½ oz) creamy blue cheese

　　900 g (2 lb) washed potatoes (I use sebago), sliced about 3 mm (¼ in) thick

　　

Step 1

Set the slow cooker to the sauté function. Add the oil and, once hot, add the leek and cook for 1–2 minutes, then add the kale and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes, or until the leek is soft. Gently scoop into a bowl. Line the slow cooker with a sheet of baking paper, working carefully as it will be hot.

　　

Step 2

Add the cream, stock and cheeses to a bowl and use a fork to combine.

　　

Step 3

Arrange one-third of the potato slices over the bottom of the lined bowl, overlapping them slightly. Pour in one-third of the cream mixture and sprinkle with one-third of the leek mixture. Season and repeat the process until all the ingredients have been used.

　　

Step 4

You should get three decent layers of cheesy potato goodness. Close the lid and cook on high for 4 hours.

　　

Step 5

Check the liquid at the 3-hour mark. If there is a lot of liquid remaining, leave the lid off for the last hour of cooking. If, at 4 hours, there is still too much liquid, remove the lid and, if your cooker has it, hit the reduce function, or simply the sauté function, and cook for 2–5 minutes. This will quickly get rid of any excess moisture.

　　

Step 6

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes in the slow cooker before gently removing. If you try to cut it when still hot, it tends to go everywhere. Alternatively, scoop the gratin straight from the bowl onto the plate. It might not look amazing, but it’s the kind of dish that is here for a good time, not a long time.

　　

Step 7

Season generously with salt and pepper and serve. Eat wearing stretchy pants; you are going to need them.

　　Excerpted with permission from Slow Victories by Katrina Meynink, published by Hardie Grant Books, March 2021. Buy the full book from Amazon, Bookshop, or Hardie Grant.