Baked Potatoes Get An Elegant Upgrade From Crème Fraîche And Caviar Recipes

ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine potatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, and rosemary in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Brush large rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, in single layer on prepared sheet. Shake pan slightly to prevent sticking. Roast until potatoes are brown, crisp, and cooked through, about 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on sheet. Place bowls of crème fraîche and caviar on large platter. Arrange potatoes, cut side up, around bowls and serve.

TWICE-COOKED POTATOES WITH CAVIAR

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Cut off tops and a thin slice from bottoms of 24 potatoes. Using a small melon baller, scoop out flesh from these potatoes, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Peel remaining 4 potatoes. Press whole potatoes and remaining flesh through a ricer into a medium bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat milk and the room-temperature butter in a small saucepan over medium until butter melts. Stir into riced potatoes, a little at a time, until creamy. Stir in creme fraiche and the chives; season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe potato mixture into shells, mounding about 1/2 inch above top edge.
• Bake until tops are golden brown and slightly puffed, about 15 minutes. Brush with melted butter, and bake 15 minutes more. Top each potato with about 1/4 teaspoon caviar. Serve immediately.

SALMON-ROE-TOPPED BAKED POTATOES WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rub potatoes with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pierce twice with a fork (don't worry if some salt falls off). Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until skin is crispy and insides are tender when pierced with a fork, 60 to 70 minutes.
• When potatoes have cooled enough to handle, use a sharp knife to slice off tops. Scoop out insides, leaving about 1/4 inch around skin; transfer potato flesh to a bowl. Add crème fraîche, butter, chives, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; mash with a fork until combined.
• Stuff potato skins with potato mixture. Return potatoes to oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Run under broiler for another 1 to 2 minutes until tops are golden brown and crisp. Serve hot, topped with salmon roe and additional crème fraîche, if desired.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: POTATO DAUPHINOISE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Brush the oil over the bottom and sides of a 25 x 19 x 5cm ovenproof dish. Put the milk, garlic, 4 thyme sprigs, bay leaf and shallot into a saucepan. Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the nutmeg and a little pepper. Set aside to infuse.
• Peel then slice the potatoes very thinly. Pat them dry. Layer half the slices in the dish, overlapping slightly, then season.
• Strain the infused milk into a jug. Put the crème fraîche into a bowl, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking until smooth. Add the stock and thyme leaves. Return this liquid to the jug, then pour half of it over the potatoes in the dish. Layer up the rest of the potatoes, then add remaining liquid, the cheese and a grind of pepper. Sit the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 1¼-1½ hrs until golden and tender - test by inserting a sharp knife through the potatoes. Stand for 5 mins before serving, sprinkled with thyme sprigs.

ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES WITH CREME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with 1/2 cup of olive oil, rosemary, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Coat a small roasting pan with the remaining olive oil and put the potatoes in the pan, cut-side down. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender on the inside and golden on the outside.
• Let the potatoes cool slightly and then arrange on a serving platter. Serve the potatoes with the creme fraiche, caviar, and chives for self-service hors d'oeurves. This goes great with champagne. If you wish, spread each potato with a 1/4 teaspoon of creme fraiche and 1/2 teaspoon caviar instead of dipping.

BAKED POTATOES WITH CRéME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in center. Bake potatoes directly on rack until darkened slightly, beginning to wrinkle, and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (depending on size).
• Working one at a time, immediately wrap potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and slam down onto a countertop (this ensures a light, fluffy texture). Slash potatoes to open, season, and top generously with dollops of crème fraîche and scoops of caviar. Serve immediately.

NEW POTATOES WITH CREME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Wash potatoes and place on 2 lightly oiled cookie sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes.
• Cool potatoes before handling.
• Trim either end of each potato and then cut in half, leaving trimmed edges on the end to allow potatoes to sit upright. Using a small melon baller, scoop out inside of each potato half, leaving at least 1/8-inch edge.
• Fill pastry bag, fitted with a star tip, with creme fraiche. Fill each scooped-out potato half with piped creme fraiche.
• Garnish top of each potato with red or black lumpfish roe.

HERB-BAKED POTATO CHIPS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375° F. and brush 3 large baking sheets generously with some oil.
• With a mandoline or other manual slicer cut 1 potato crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Immediately arrange slices in one layer on 1 baking sheet and brush with some remaining oil. Sprinkle potatoes with dill and salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake slices in middle of oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes, and with a metal spatula immediately transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining potatoes and baking sheets in same manner. Potato chips may be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Top potato chips with 1 teaspoon each of caviar and crème fraîche or sour cream, side by side.

ROASTED NEW POTATOES WITH CHILLI CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Tip the potatoes into a roasting tin and toss in the oil. Sprinkle with paprika and roast for 35-45 minutes until crisp and golden, shaking the tin halfway through.
• Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and tip on to a platter. Spoon the crème fraîche into a small bowl and swirl the chilli sauce on top. Serve with the potatoes for dipping.