Method
Prep:20min  ›  Cook:30min  ›  Ready in:50min 

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan oven), gas 8. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Drain thoroughly and tip into a greased, shallow ovenproof dish.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, snip the bacon into thin strips using kitchen scissors. Put into a cold, nonstick frying pan and cook over a high heat for 1 minute or until crispy. Remove from the pan with a draining spoon. Mix the spring onions with the cooked bacon.
3. Cut the semicircle of cheese in half horizontally to make two semicircles (if using raclette, remove the hard rind first). Score the rind in a criss-cross pattern to help the cheese to melt.
4. Scatter the bacon and onions over the potatoes. Season with plenty of ground black pepper, then pour over the cream. Set the cheese on top, rind side uppermost, then bake for 7-10 minutes or until melting and bubbling. Serve piping hot.

Swaps

Omit the bacon and serve with sliced salami, cured or smoked ham or cold sausages. * For the bacon, use 125g button or exotic mushrooms, sliced and fried in 1 tbsp oil. * For the potatoes, use 750g cooked beetroot (without vinegar), peeled and thickly sliced. Arrange in a greased baking dish, scatter with diced cooked ham or bacon, add the cream and top with 250g blue Brie, cut into slices. Bake as the basic recipe.