Provençal potato gratin with olives and lemon thyme

Serves 4-6

• 0 salt
• 675g potatoes
• 0 tomatoes
• 0 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 2 red onions
• 0.25 tsp dried thyme
• 0.25 tsp fennel seeds
• 0 pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 75g black niçoise olives
• 12 stalks lemon thyme
• 1 tbsp small capers

Step 1
The lemon thyme is bright and refreshing, and if the gratin is to be eaten cold, a garnish of fresh lovage leaves would also be good.

Step 2
Bring 3-4 litres of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt.

Step 3
Peel the potatoes, slice them ½-1cm thick, add them to the water, and boil for 3 minutes.

Step 4
Scoop them out with a sieve, and set them aside in a colander to drain.

Step 5
Using the same water, drop in the tomatoes, count 10 seconds, then plunge them into cold water.

Step 6
Remove the cores, peel and halve the tomatoes crosswise.

Step 7
Gently squeeze out the juice and seeds.

Step 8
Roughly chop half of one tomato and set aside, and cut the rest into slices about 5mm thick.

Step 9
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan, and when it is hot add the onions with the dried thyme, the fennel seeds and a grinding of black pepper.

Step 10
Saute briskly over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the onions brown slightly and soften, about 3 minutes.

Step 11
Season with salt and set aside.

Step 12
Preheat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6.

Step 13
Assemble the gratin in a shallow 1.75 litre baking dish, preferably earthenware.

Step 14
Cover the bottom with a thin film of olive oil; then add half the onions and garlic, the chopped tomato, the olives and half the thyme leaves.

Step 15
Layer the potatoes and the tomatoes over the onions, tuck the remaining slivers of garlic in among them, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Step 16
(If you are planning to serve the gratin at room temperature, add the capers) Cover the potatoes with the rest of the onions and spoon olive oil over the top.

Step 17
Bake the gratin for 20 minutes loosely covered with foil; than bake uncovered for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.

Step 18
Scatter the remaining thyme leaves over the gratin when it comes out of the oven.

Step 19
Bake at 170C fan/gas mark 5, covered with foil the first 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.

Step 20
Serve warm.