Cheesy Three-Root Bake

If you're a fellow potato fan you'll absolutely love this warming recipe from Jenny Linford's new book Potatoes.

As she rightly points out "Cheese and potatoes are one of those simple but satisfying combinations. "

"This homely dish makes an excellent mid-week supper. Serve it on its own for a vegetarian meal or accompany it with grilled/broiled bacon or sausages."

SERVES 4

500 g/171/2 oz. waxy potatoes, peeled

2 carrots, peeled

200g/7 oz. celeriac/celery root, peeled and cut into chunks

30g/2 tablespoons butter

1 leek, washed and chopped

2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour

300ml/11/4 cups milk

100g/1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes, carrots and celeriac/celery root in boiling, salted water until tender; drain. Slice the potatoes, carrots and celeriac/celery root.

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) Gas 6.

Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Add in the leek and fry gently over a low heat, stirring, until softened. Mix in the flour and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually mix in the milk, stirring as you do so.

Bring to the boil, stirring, so that it thickens into a white sauce. Stir in 75 g/3/4 cup of the cheese until melted and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the root vegetables in an ovenproof baking dish. Pour over the cheese sauce and mix gently, so that the vegetables are coated.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve at once.

What to drink: I'd probably go for a glass of dry white wine with this like an unoaked chardonnay or chenin blanc but cider would work well too.

This recipe is extracted from Jenny LInford's book Potatoes which is published by Ryland Peters & Small at £14.99. Photograph ©Clare Winfield,