Tartiflette Potato Casserole From Savoy

I came across this dish quite by accident, but it is well worth fixing. The dish from the Savoy region of France (French: Savoie, pronounced as if, "sahv-wah"). It is a mountainous area, with historical connections to Italy and to Switzerland. The dish is really pretty simple to make. I have no idea what reblochon cheese tastes like, but I checked around and found others who used either Camembert or brie as substitutes. Reblochon is banned from import into the United States, because it is made from raw milk. This is not a low fat dish, but in order to cut some of the fat, you could use low fat sour cream and omit the butter. I sent a copy of the recipe to my doctor, but he didn't answer, because they had to keep him overnight in the hospital. Hm, wonder what that's about?

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds potatoes, in their jackets (skins)
2/3 pound slab bacon, cut into 1 inch x 1/2 inch strips 
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 pound reblochon cheese (substitute Camembert or Brie), cut into bite sized pieces, rind on
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter
butter or oil to grease dish

Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until fork/knife tender, but not mushy (about 15 to 20 minutes, but remember, the potatoes will be in the oven, so if they are a little firm, that's okay, and likely even better). Drain and let cool a bit, then peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices. In a skillet over medium heat, add the bacon strips. Cook until just starting to brown. Pour off all but about 1 1/2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add chopped onion, the salt and the pepper. Cook until onion begins to brown; this will take a few minutes. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until much of the liquid cooks off. Butter a baking dish and then cover the bottom with potato slices. Put the onion mixture over the layer of potatoes and spread it around to even it out. Place the remaining potato slices over the onion mixture, then spoon on the sour cream and spread it over the top potato layer. Now place the cheese pieces on top and spread some pieces of butter around on top also. Bake in a 350 F degree oven for 30 minutes, then turn the heat up to 450 F and bake for 15 more minutes. This should give the dish a little browning. 

With some asparagus ....

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WORD HISTORY:
Slow-While certainly a common word, the ultimate origin of "slow" is unknown, and tracking down its relatives is a task. It goes back to Old Germanic "slaiwaz/slæwaz," which meant, "dull;" thus also, "blunt;" thus also, "sluggish." Perhaps too, the secondary meaning of, "mentally sluggish, not alert or sharp." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "slaw" (long 'a'), meaning, "sluggish, lazy (obviously connected to "dull")." A verb form, "sláwian," meant, "to be sluggish;" thus, "slow." Another verb form, "asláwian," meant, "to become dull, sluggish." The adjective form then became "slow" circa 1200, and the meaning of, "sluggish, lateness;" thus, "being slow" moved to the fore, where it has been ever since. Some other forms in Germanic languages: Low German Saxon has "slee," meaning, "dull;" Danish "sløv," meaning, "blunt, dull;" Swedish "slö," meaning, "dull, sluggish, lazy;" Icelandic "sljór," meaning, "dimwitted, dull." German once had "sleo/sle," meaning, "dull, blunt, worn out."