A delicious, creamy accompaniment for your roast dinner. Great with chicken or turkey.

Ingredients:
500g/1lb parsnips
500g/1lb potatoes
150g/5oz pack of bacon lardons
2 echalion shallots
2-4 garlic cloves
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
400ml/¾ pint whole milk
100g/4oz full fat crème fraiche
300ml/½ pint double cream
fresh or dried nutmeg
50g/2oz walnuts, roughly chopped
½ tbsp olive oil plus extra for greasing the foil

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, (180°C fan/gas mark 6).

2. Peel and finely slice the shallots, garlic, potatoes and parsnips. I used my mandoline – it saves so much time.

3. Put the bacon in a large pan and cook gently to allow the fat to melt and turn crispy. Remove and set aside.

4. Add the oil and cook the shallots for approximately eight minutes until soft.

5. Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the bay leaf, half the thyme, the cream, crème fraiche, milk, a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper.

6. Heat the mixture until just simmering then add the parsnips and potatoes. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove the bay leaf.

7. Spoon out half the mixture into your chosen baking dish (about 20 x 30 cm/ 8 x 12 inch) and scatter over half of the bacon bits. Spoon the remaining mixture on top and sprinkle the remaining bacon, thyme, the walnuts and a little more nutmeg on top.

8. Cover with a sheet of oiled foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden and tender.
This can be made the day before. Just wait until fully cooled before putting in the fridge. To reheat the next day, cover with foil and cook for approximately 25-30 minutes at 200°C, (180°C fan/gas mark 6).