These quantities will make loads, which you can freeze in smaller portions, to share with family and friends. A nice surprise to leave on someone's doorstep maybe.
Ingredients
- 2 bags of large carrots, scraped/peeled and sliced
- 3kg of large potatoes, sliced
- Butter
- 6 leeks, halved lengthways and cut into 1cm thick slices
- 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
For the white sauce (2 pints):
- 170g butter
- 85g flour
- 1 pint stock
- 1 pint milk
- Pepper
For the topping:
- Grated cheddar cheese (lots)
- Breadcrumbs
- Cayenne pepper
- Butter
Preheat oven to 170°C.
(1) Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Put in the sliced potatoes and carrots, bring back to boil, cover and simmer for about 10 mins. Don't let the potatoes go crumbly. Drain and cool.
(2) In the same pan, melt some butter. Add the leeks and onion, cook gently for about 6/7 mins or until softened.
(3) Make the sauce: put all the ingredients in a pan over a low heat, stir continuously until thickened. If it gets too thick, add more milk or stock. If it is too runny, add flour.
(4) Get dishes ready and butter them well.
(5) Arrange veg in two layers – potato, leeks, then carrots. Top with a final potato layer (if there’s enough left over).
(6) Pour sauce over the veg, scatter the cheese and breadcrumbs on top, then sprinkle with cayenne pepper, dot the surface with small flecks of butter and bake for about one hour.
