Potatoes Dauphenoise With Ham - Nina Style

I had far too many potatoes in the house courtesy of my Ma with her organic allotment so I came up with this recipie in my head:

1. 2lb potatoes
2. Thick off cuts of ham, or gammon, or bacon - a generous half a pound
3. Tin of cut green beans
4. Chicken soup
5. Cornflour, or 2 tblspoons of normal flour (for thickening)
6. Half a pint of milk (any variety)
7. 3/4 lb of very strong cheddar (I use Collier's Powerful Welsh Cheddar)

Half a sliced onion to garnish

Fresh Dorset Naga Chilli (if you like it hot)

Garlic Bread

I used a food processor to grate the potatoes as I couldn't be arsed to grate them by hand.

Grate the tatoes, add pre cooked ham/bacon/gammon and the tin of sliced green beans.

In a saucepan, heat the chicken soup gently, meanwhile mix cornflour and milk into a paste then dilute with half a pint of milk with a whisk, add to soup to thicken in out. Grate the cheese and whisk in - careful - never let a sauce boil!!

Stick this mix in with the potatoes etc, grate extra cheese on top, add sliced onion (and chilli if you are like me) and whack in the oven for about 25 mins on Gas 6 (near the top), the last 12 mins add the garlic bread so everything is cooked at once.

Eat immediately.

Nina's Bombay Potatoes recipie

This is a great cheap dish perfect for parties and football, very spicy.

Ingredients:
1) Black mustard seeds, 4 tablespoons, chilli oil (or ghee)

2) Fresh crushed garlic (I usually use a whole bulb) 10 green bird's eye chillis, 4 teaspoons turmeric, dried coriander, garam masala, (or masala curry powder / paste) 2 finely chopped onions (white strong) tin of chopped tomatoes with chilli, garlic or herbs, tomotoe puree (2 tablespoons)

3) 2lb cubed potatoes (do not wash the starch thickens the sauce) 1inch cubes, boiling water

4) Fresh chopped coriander

Method:

• Heat the oil or ghee in a large deep frying pan with a lid (you can use foil and a large saucepan instead) and throw in the black mustard seeds and cover. When they pop, take off the lid and add the onions and ingredients in number (2) etc, stir and cover, until the onions are transluscent.
• Throw in the cubed potatoes, stir well, taste the sauce and add salt if necessary.
• N.B. If it is too spicy add coconut milk or creamed coconut to take off the edge
• Stir every 5 minutes and simmer on a low heat with the lid on for about 25 mins until the potatoes are cooked and soft.
• Just before serving chop fresh coriander and stir in, and sprinkle an extra bit on top
• This is a vegeterian dish, if you fancy a bit of meat add small meatballs, chopped sausage or fried lamb cubes etc, whatever you fancy