Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 ½ hours
Ingredients
the necessities:
2 pounds|900 grams red, white, fingerling, or gold potatoes (thin-skinned and golf ball–size)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds|900 grams raclette cheese
2 small jars (or 8 ounces|227 grams from the olive bar) cornichon pickles
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for the meat:
1 cup|250 ml extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup|70 grams whole garlic cloves
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence or thyme leaves
1 bay leaf, fresh preferred but dried works
1 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound|450 grams flank, hanger, or skirt steak, thinly sliced
1 pound|450 grams kielbasa or bratwursts (nothing too spicy), cut into rounds
for the marinated leeks:
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ cup|60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely minced shallot
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large leeks, roots and dark green tops trimmed off, halved lengthwise, cut into 3-inch-wide segments, and well rinsed
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
for the marinated mushrooms:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound|450 grams cremini mushrooms, halved
for the marinated bell peppers:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound|450 grams red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips
Directions
- Boil the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add the salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them—you don’t want mashed potatoes. When they’re just tender, remove the pot from the heat and drain all but ½-inch of the water. Put the lid back on and keep the potatoes covered in a warm spot until ready to serve. You could make these up to 1 hour in advance or the day before, store them in the fridge overnight, and just gently steam the potatoes to reheat.
- Prep the cheese and cornichons: If you didn’t buy your raclette sliced, cut it into ¼-inch-thick slices and stack it on a serving plate. Drain the brine from the cornichons and transfer to a small bowl.
- Marinate the steak: Combine the oil and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over very low heat (as low as your stove will go) until the garlic is tender and starting to turn golden, about 8 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the oil cool completely. Add the cooled oil, the garlic, and the remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. This marinade can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- Blanch and marinate the leeks: Combine the apple cider vinegar, oil, shallot, mustard, thyme, honey, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Set aside until ready to use or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prepare a large bowl of ice water with lots of ice. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the remaining salt and the leeks and cook until tender and bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the leeks from the water and plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking. When cooled, strain again, and squeeze the leeks dry. Toss the leeks with the vinaigrette and mustard seeds. Set aside at room temperature to marinate for 1 hour or in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving.
- Marinate the mushrooms: In a shallow baking dish, combine the oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and mushrooms. Stir the mushrooms around until well coated. Set aside at room temperature to marinate for 1 hour.
- Marinate the bell peppers: In a shallow baking dish, combine the oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and bell peppers. Stir the bell peppers around until well coated. Set aside at room temperature to marinate for 1 hour.
SET UP
Preheat the raclette machine(s). Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl. Set the potatoes, cheese, and cornichons on the table. Drain the marinade from the steak or pork, if using, and transfer the raw meat and/or roasted chicken to serving bowls; place on the table. Drain the marinade from the vegetable(s), transfer to serving bowl(s), and place on the table.
COOK AND MELT
Add pieces of raw meat and vegetables to the top deck of the raclette machine. Load the cheese shovels with raclette and return them to the lower deck of the machine. Occasionally turn the meat and vegetables until cooked or warmed through, respectively. Next, everyone takes 2 or 3 potatoes and smashes them on their plates with their forks. When the meat is cooked and the vegetables are hot, place some of each on the potatoes.
EAT AND REPEAT
When the cheese is bubbly and browning on top, everybody uses the plastic scrapers that come with the machine to scoop the melted cheese out of their shovels and over the potatoes, meat, and veg on their plates. Eat with the cornichons. Repeat until stupidly full. Drink some more wine and repeat.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This recipe has been reprinted with permission of the author from Cooking for Good Times: Super Delicious, Super Simple.
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