by Austin Coe Butler
It’s been a surreal, sultry winter for us in the upper midwest. Like a tuber or budding branch, I’m unsure of whether winter is already over or not. I feel winter’s absence not only in the cobwebs on my snowshoes, or the melting, makeshift ice-rinks, but also in the conspicuous vacancy of hearty, rib-sticking winter dishes from the dinner table. With the prospect of a meager inch or two of snow this weekend, I had to make one of my favorite French classics before we’re supposed to shed this winter weight: tartiflette.
Tartiflette is “traditionally” made with a cheese called Reblochon, a pungent, barnyardy washed rind cheese from the Haute-Savoy—at least, that’s what the marketing board of Le Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Reblochon would have you believe. But dishes that include potatoes, onions, cheese, and pork are found throughout the Alps, and undoubtedly they would be made with whatever cheese was on hand. Reblochon takes its name from the delightful French verb reblocher, or “to pinch a cow’s udder again.” In the 14th century, landowners would tax cowherds grazing on their lands by the volume of milk their cows produced, which lead farmers to hold back some of the milk until after the measurement. Food history is filled with such apocrypha.
Since 2004 though, Reblochon has been unavailable in the United States as it falls under the 60 day federally mandated minimum on raw milk cheeses. You’ll often find recipes for tartiflette then that recommend any kind of smear-ripened or washed-rind cheeses as adequate substitutes for Reblochon like Taleggio, Jasper Hill’s Willoughby or Oma, St. Nectaire, Delice de Jura, or even Camembert, but to me only one cheese that truly captures the aroma, flavor, and funk of a stable as Reblochon does: Meadow Creek Grayson.
I have written many love letters to Meadow Creek Grayson, so I’ll spare you the overtures, but I truly believe this is one of the greatest treasures of American cheese. Winter wheels of Grayson are especially voluptuous and decadent, perfect for tartiflette. We’re also running our annual Love STINKS promotion this week, where all washed rind cheeses are 15% off, so stop into the shop to buy half a wheel of Grayson and make this dish before Spring is here!
By its nature, tartiflette is a rich dish; you’ll often find butter, heavy cream, and bacon in tartiflette recipes. I’ve excluded the butter (there’s enough fat already), substituted crème fraîche (tangier and lighter than heavy cream), opted for pancetta instead of bacon (not as sweet or smoky as bacon), and added thyme (for an aromatic and herbaceous note).
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold or other waxy, yellow potato
1/2 lb. France 44 pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4 inch chunks or lardons
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, sliced thinly
3/4 C. of L’abbé Vin de Savoie Abymes or other dry, white wine
1 container (220 grams) of Vermont Creamery crème fraîche
Half a wheel (about 2 lbs) of Meadow Creek Grayson, cut from corner-to-corner, then belied or cut in half horizontally (ask your cheese monger to do this)
A few sprigs of thyme or other cold hardy herbs like rosemary, savory, or sage, minced
Salt
Black pepper
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and bring them to a boil in a pot of cold, well salted water. Cook until a knife easily pierces them, about 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the potatoes and allow them to rest until cool enough to handle. Once cool, slice the potatoes into rough chunks.
Add the pancetta or bacon lardons to a cold pan with a cup of water over medium heat—the cold pan and water will help render the fat. Once crisp, remove the lardons and discard all but a tablespoon of the fat. Add the onions and sauté until straw colored and yielding. Add the thyme, then deglaze with the white wine and reduce by two-thirds. Next add the potatoes, a few generous cracks of black pepper, and a two-finger pinch of salt and combine. Cook for another minute or two before removing the mixture from the heat and allowing it to cool slightly. Lastly, add in the crème fraîche slowly and by the spoonful to prevent splitting.
Pour the potato mixture evenly into your baking vessel of choice. I prefer a square or rectangular casserole dish to emphasize Grayson’s shape. Top the potato onion mixture with the two pieces of Grayson, rind side up, which, when baked, will crisp into a crust.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and fragrant. Allow the tartiflette to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a glass of crisp white wine, sleep well, and dream of winter.