Potato and Leek Gratin

I recently had an insane craving for amazing potato gratin. The trouble is, traditional potato gratin is very calorific – all that cream and cheese and butter (nom). So I decided to try and make a healthier version. I was under no illusion that I could make it super healthy, but the version I came up with was tasty and healthier! Little changes can have a big impact!

The main substitute that I made was instead of cream and lots of cheese, I used quark and half fat cheese. It turned out really well! Quark is a cream cheese like product which is popular in northern Europe. It is very low in fat and has a creamy texture. Making it a great healthier alternative in both sweet and savoury recipes! Whilst it isn’t a direct substitute for cream, it works well in dishes like gratin where a creamy cheese-like consistency is required!

I served this gratin with a quorn roast and lots of fresh vegetables. Fantastic veggie Sunday lunch!

Ingredients:

(serves four)

800g white potatoes
1 large leek (finely sliced)
1 stem of fresh rosemary
250g quark
250ml vegetable stock
50ml skimmed milk/ milk alternative
1 clove of garlic
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
50g low fat mature cheddar
one ball of low fat mozzarella

Method:

Preheat oven to gas mark 6

Slice the potatoes and place into a pan of cold water. Salt and bring to the boil.
As soon as the potatoes are starting to become tender, remove from the heat.
Heat the stock, milk, nutmeg and minced garlic in a pan on a low heat.
Layer the potatoes in an oven proof dish. Sprinkle all the leeks on top followed by half of the mozzarella and the quark.
Pour half the stock mixture over the potatoes and leeks.
Layer the rest of the potatoes over the top of the mixture. Pour in the rest of stock (be careful not to over fill the dish).
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese and rest of the mozzarella and quark on top. Garnish with fresh rosemary, salt and pepper.
Bake for around 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is bubbly and golden.
Serve with your choice of vegetables! We had kale, roasted root veg and asparagus!