Pommes De Terre Macaire Recipes

POMMES DE TERRE MACAIRE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees; bake potatoes about 1 hour. (If potatoes are cooked along with crown of pork or suckling pig at 375 degrees, allow about 15 minutes more.)
• When potatoes are done, remove from oven to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop the white flesh into bowl. Mash potatoes with fork while adding all but 2 tablespoons of the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Melt remaining butter over medium-high flame in a 10-inch skillet (cast iron is best). Transfer potato mixture into skillet; pack it firmly and smooth over the top with a spatula. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. To demold potatoes, place a circular platter over skillet and invert it.

POMMES DE TERRE BOULANGèRE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a saucepan and add broth to cover by about 1 inch. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper, or to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer until just tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove potatoes from broth (reserve broth for another use) and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, combine onion with 1 tablespoon fat. Place over medium-low heat and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add 4 thyme sprigs. Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and caramelized, about 10 more minutes. Add vinegar, cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and discard thyme sprigs.
• Slice cooled potatoes into rounds 1/3 inch thick. Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, and add 2 tablespoons fat (or as needed to provide a thick coating on bottom of pan). When fat is extremely hot, add potatoes and allow to sit without stirring or shaking until seared and crispy.
• Turn potatoes and sear and crisp other sides. When well-browned, add caramelized onions, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to mix. Chop remaining 2 sprigs thyme (or if stems are woody, use leaves only), sprinkle over potatoes and serve.

POMMES DE TERRE LORETTE

Steps:

• Make duchesse potatoes:
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cover potatoes with cold salted water by 1 inch in a 2-quart pot, then simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Drain potatoes in a colander and return to pot. Dry potatoes by shaking pot over low heat until all moisture is evaporated and a film begins to appear on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes.
• Force potatoes through ricer into a bowl. Add butter, whole egg and yolk, salt, and pepper and stir with a wooden spoon until very smooth. Keep potato mixture warm, covered.
• Make pâte à choux:
• Bring water, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over high heat, then reduce heat to moderate.
• Add flour all at once and stir briskly with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from side of pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add potato mixture and stir until combined well. Transfer mixture to pastry bag.
• Form and fry potatoes:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
• Heat 2 inches oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until thermometer registers 370°F.
• Resting metal tip of pastry bag on edge of pot, pipe 8 (2-inch) lengths of potato mixture directly into oil (use caution when piping into hot oil), using a small knife or kitchen shears to cut off each length of dough at tip of bag. Fry potatoes, turning over once with a slotted spoon, until crisp, golden, and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. Fry remaining potato mixture in batches in same manner.
• Transfer potatoes as fried and drained to a metal rack set in a large shallow baking pan in oven to keep them crisp and warm until ready to serve.

POMMES DE TERRE LYONNAISE

Steps:

• In a large pan, saute the shallots and garlic slowly in the olive oil until caramelized.
• Add the fingerling potatoes, stock, and some salt and pepper.
• Cover pan and simmer slowly until the potatoes are tender, approximately 1/2 hour.
• Arrange on serving platter. Remove herb leaves from stalks and garnish the potatoes.
• Ooolala!