Miso and Negi Gratin Dauphinois (French × Japanese)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan) (oven) and grease a 20×15 cm baking dish with some of the butter.

   Add in this stepButter 6 g

   oven

2. Slice the leek on the diagonal 5 mm thick and cook it in a 20 cm pot with the rest of the butter over medium-low heat for 5 min, until soft and sweet but not coloured.

   Add in this stepButter 9 gJapanese leek (negi) or leek, mostly white part 1

   medium-low heat

3. In a small bowl, whisk the miso with 2–3 tablespoons of the milk until smooth, then pour it into the pot with the remaining milk, the cream and the grated garlic. Add the potatoes, sliced 3 mm thick and not rinsed, and the salt, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 min, gently stirring along the bottom, until the slices are bendy and the cream has thickened. Miso catches easily, so do not let it boil hard.

   Add in this stepWhite miso (shiro miso) 1½ tbspWhole milk 200 mlDouble/heavy cream 150 mlGarlic (cloves) 1Potatoes 450 gSalt 1 pinch

   medium-low heat

4. Pour into the dish and level it, then scatter over the panko mixed with the sesame. Bake (oven) for 45 min, until golden and a knife slides in easily; if the crumbs darken too soon, cover with foil.

   Add in this stepPanko breadcrumbs 2 tbspWhite sesame seeds 1 tsp

   oven

5. Rest for 10 min, then scatter over sliced spring onions and shichimi before serving.

   Add in this stepSpring onions 1Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice) 1 pinch