Potato Bake with Ground Beef and Blue Cheese Recipe
This bake combines Polish potatoes with a more “restaurant-style” addition: blue cheese. It’s a bit like a French gratin, but with a solid layer of ground meat in the middle. It’s perfect for colder days when you’re craving something really hearty.
This bake combines homely, thinly sliced potatoes with intense blue cheese, giving a bistro-like effect – familiar yet with a distinctly restaurant-style accent. The middle layer of well-seasoned beef makes the dish very substantial and reminiscent of a cross between moussaka and French gratin. It’s a great option for chilly evenings when you want something warming and truly satisfying.
Chef's tips
Try to slice the potatoes with a mandoline or very sharp knife to keep them as even in thickness as possible – they’ll bake more evenly and you won’t end up with hard slices in the middle. Add the blue cheese with restraint: it’s better to start with the suggested amount and increase it next time if you like, as too much can overpower the flavour of the meat. Before serving, let the bake rest for at least 10 minutes – the layers will “set” and it will be easier to cut neat portions.
How to serve
Serve it with a simple rocket and red onion salad or with a pickled cucumber to cut through the creaminess of the dish. A glass of dry red wine, such as merlot or cabernet sauvignon, pairs beautifully, but a dark beer is just as good on a winter evening. It’s an ideal dish for a casual get-together with friends when you want to serve something impressive without standing in the kitchen during the visit.
Ingredients
- potatoes waxy, medium - 1 kg
- ground beef - 500 g
- blue cheese such as Lazur or gorgonzola - 120 g
- onion medium - 2 pieces
- garlic - 3 cloves
- 30% cream - 200 ml
- beef stock can be from a cube - 150 ml
- rapeseed oil - 2 tablespoons
- dried marjoram - 1 teaspoon
- sweet paprika powder - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, about 3 mm thick. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife. Cover the slices with cold water so they don’t darken, then dry them on a cloth or paper towel.
- Peel the onions and dice finely. Chop the garlic very finely.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes until softened and slightly translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground beef. Break it up with a spatula and fry for 8–10 minutes until it changes colour completely and there are no raw bits left. If a lot of liquid appears, cook until most of it evaporates.
- Add the marjoram, paprika, a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in the stock, stir and cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with oil.
- Arrange the first layer of potato slices on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle with pepper.
- Spread half of the meat mixture evenly over the potatoes. Cover with another layer of potatoes and lightly salt again. Spread the remaining meat on top and cover with a final layer of potatoes.
- Mix the cream with a little salt and pepper. Pour evenly over the top of the bake, trying to let the cream run between the layers as well.
- Crumble or cut the blue cheese into small pieces and distribute over the top of the bake.
- Cover the dish with aluminium foil (shiny side in) and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender (a fork slides in easily) and the top is nicely browned.
- After removing from the oven, let the bake rest for 10–15 minutes so it firms up slightly and is easier to cut. Serve hot.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven, covered with foil so the top doesn’t burn, until the centre is hot. You can also freeze individual portions and reheat them directly from frozen at a lower temperature.
