potatoes

Cooking hints

Whenever possible, cook potatoes in their skins to preserve the minerals and vitamin C which, lie under the skin,peel after boiling, if necessary.
Steaming is the best way of cooking potatoes to retain their shape and texture.
The more water you use to boil potatoes, the more goodness and flavour is lost. Use as little water as possible, and avoid fast boiling, which causes the outer cells of the potatoes to break and makes them go mushy.
When recipes call for peeled potatoes, rather than throwing the skins away I like to peel them thickly and use the skins to make oven chips. Put peelings in a bowl with a teaspoon of oil - more if there are a lot of skins - season well, and stir around until the skins are lightly coated with oil Bake in greased dish in a moderate oven until they' are golden brown, puffed up and crisp.
Peeled potatoes will blacken when exposed to the air. Cook them immediately if possible; if they have to be kept, cover with cold water
Blackening after cooking is caused by acid and iron in the potato, or by the water in certain areas. A little lemon juice or vinegar added to the cooking water helps prevent this.

CLASSICAL POTATO DISHES

Shaped potato dishes

Boiled varieties
The variations from boiled potatoes are:

Parsley
Chives
Garlic
In fact most varieties of herbs or spices may be added, or even the like of chopped olives, sundried tomatoes etc

Duchesse potato mix
This is a basic (dried) potato puree mix that has had egg yolk added to it. Duchesse mix is used to make the following potato/pommes dishes:

Pommes duchesse
Pommes marquise
Pommes brioche
Pommes croquette
Pommes amandines
Pommes berny
Pommes a la creme
Pommes mousseline
Pommes au gratin
Pommes dauphine
Pommes Biarritz
Pommes Lorette

Duchess mix variations
1. Duchesse potatoes (Pommes Duchesse)

Pipe the prepared Duchesse mixture through a half inch star tube into a spiral shape.
Place in oven or under the salamander to set the potato (don't over colour).
Brush with eggwash
Finish through the oven until heated through and goot.

2. Marquise potatoes (Pommes Marquise)

Pipe the prepared Duchesse mixture through a half inch star tube into a nest shape.
Fill with a tomato concasse mixture
Place in oven or under the salamander to set the potato (don't over colour).
Finish through the oven until hot.

3. Brioche potatoes (Pommes brioche)

Duchesse mixture shaped into brioche or cottage loaves egg washed and lightly browned

4. Croquette Potatoes (Pommes croquette)

Shape pieces of Duchesse mixture into cylinders 5 x 2 cm.
Pass through flour, eggwash and breadcrumbs.
Deep fry at 180° C - until golden brown. Serve on dish paper, well drained.

5. Almond potatoes (Pommes amandines)

As for croquette potatoes but replacing the breadcrumbs with nibbed almonds

6. Berny Potatoes (Pommes Berny)

As for Almond potatoes but adding chopped truffle to the basic mixture. Coat, cook and serve as for almond potatoes.

7. St. Florentine Potatoes (Pommes St Florentine)

Add chopped ham to Duchesse mixture.
Shape in oblong pieces (2 oz) Flour, eggwash and pass through broken vermicelli mixed with breadcrumbs.
Fry and serve as for Almond potatoes.

8. Galette Potatoes (Pommes Galettes)

Using a little flour, shape the Duchesse mixture into potato cakes approximately 2" diameter.
Shallow fry in hot butter and oil until golden brown on one side. Turn over carefully and fry other side.

9. Dauphine potatoes (Pommes dauphine)

500 kg of duchesse mixture combined with 125 ml of choux paste
Mould into cylinders 5 x 2 cm and deep fry

10. Lorette potatoes (Pommes Lorette)

As for dauphine potatoes but shaped into short cigars

11. Rosette Potatoes (Pommes Rosette)

Pipe rosettes of the mixture through a 1/2" star tube onto oiled grease proof paper.
Cook and serve as for Dauphine potatoes.

Variations on the theme, why not try....

Shape mixture between oiled dessert spoons and place on greased grease proof paper.
Place paper (potatoes down) into hot fat (375F/I8OC): potatoes will float off paper into fat.
Allow to fry until golden brown.
Drain well and serve on a dish paper.

N.B. The mixture must be the correct ratio or potatoes may break up in the fat. If the choux paste is too wet (too much egg) it will also effect the potato shape and frying process.

PUREÉ VARIATIONS

1. Creamed Potatoes (Pommes 'a la creme)

Prepare a soft (dropping consistency) puree potato and dress in service dish slightly domed in the centre.
Pour a cordon of heated double cream around the potato.

2. Mousseline Potatoes (Pommes Mousseline)

To the soft puree potato fold in lightly whipped double cream.

3. Puree Potatoes with Cheese (Pommes au Gratin)

Dress the puree potato as for 'a la creme'.
Sprinkle grated cheese over potato.
Place in oven or under grill until cheese has melted and browned.

4. Puree Potatoes with Ham and-Peppers (Pommes Biarritz)

To the soft puree potato add, finely chopped ham, finely chopped, cooked red pimento.
The potato will take on a pink colour.
Dress as for Puree potatoes.
Chopped parsley may be added with pimento and ham if required for colour contrast.

BAKED VARIETIES
All variations below stem from the Baked Jacket potato ie. Pommes au Four - "four" is the French for oven (as in petite fours also).

1. Pommes gratineés - Baked potatoes with cheese

Cut baked potato in half lengthways.
Scoop out potato leaving skins whole
Mash the potato and season. Pipe back into the skin.
Sprinkle top with grated cheese and brown in oven.

2. Macaire Potatoes (Pommes Macaire)

Scoop the potato out as above and pulp.
Using a little four shape into cakes approx 5 cm diameter.
Shallow fry in butter/oil until golden brown, turn over and fry other side.

3. Byron Potatoes (Pommes Byron)

As for Macaire, but when fried make a small indentation in centre and place a small amount of lightly whipped cream in the depression.
Sprinkle with grated cheese and glaze under the salamander

4. Robert Potatoes (Pommes Robert)

As for Macaire potatoes with egg yolks (3 per 500gm) and chopped chives added to pulped potato mix.

SHALLOW FRIED/SAUTE VARIETIES

Shallow fried potatoes may be either:-
a) Cooked from raw
b) Pre-cooked before frying

1. Parmentier Potatoes (Pommes Parmentier)

Cut peeled potatoes into 3/4" dice.
Saute in butter and oil until golden brown.
Keep on the move while frying to get an even colour.
Drain well before serving

2. Sables potatoes (Pommes Sables)

Prepare potatoes as for Parmentier.
When cooked, place in service dish and sprinkle with white breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle with melted butter and finish through the oven until breadcrumbs have browned.

Parisienne and Noisette potatoes may be cooked by shallow frying but are more commonly oven cooked - see roast varieties.

3. Saute Potatoes (Pommes Sauté)

Boil or steam potatoes in their jackets.
Allow to cool slightly.
Peel and cut into thick slices
Sauté in butter and oil until golden brown.

4. Lyonnaise potatoes

As for sauté but with the addition of fried/saute onions

DEEP FRIED VARIETIES
The main varieties of deep fried potato dishes

Pommes Paille (Straw potatoes)
Pommes Allumette (Matchstick)
Pommes Mignonette (1/4 x 1/4 x 2")
Pommes Chip (Crisp or game chips)
Pommes Gaufrettes (Latticed wafer)
Pommes frits (French fried potato)
Pommes Pont-neuf (1" x l" x 2 ")
Pommes Bataille (3/4" dice)

*NB: The larger (more volume) the potato is, the lower the fat temperature must be to avoid over colouring the surface before the potato is cooked inside.

Frying temperatures

Blanching: 160° C - 170° C depending on size of potato
Frying: 180° C to colour the potato surface

Souffle Potatoes (Pommes Souffles)
These potatoes are cooked in TWO fat temperatures as for blanched "Chip" varieties.

Peel potatoes and cut square on end.
Cut into 1/8" slices.
Dry well on paper or in a cloth.
Place into cool fat - 160° C
When potatoes float, remove and drain.
Heat fat to 18O° C and fry potatoes again.
They will puff up and go crisp on the outside.
Drain well and salt.

ROASTED VARIETIES
Though the potatoes explained below are different shapes or sizes, the same roasting principle applies ie. cooking in hot fat in the oven at I9O° C. It is important that the potatoes are turned frequently during cooking to get an even colour on the surface. 1. Roast potatoes

Cut the peeled potatoes into even size pieces, place in water and bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain immediately and allow to dry thoroughly
Shake in hot fat on top of the stove until completely sealed.
Place in oven to cook.
When cooked (approx. 50 mins) remove and drain well.
Serve brushed with melted butter for an added glaze

2. Chateau Potatoes (Pommes Chateau)

Peel and turn the potatoes barrel shape approximately 5cm x 2.5 cm
Place in water and bring to the boil
Drain immediately and shake in hot fat on the stove until completely sealed.
Place in oven to cook
When cooked (approx. 50 mins) remove and drain well
Serve brushed with melted butter for an added glaze

3. Rissolées potatoes (Pommes rissolées)

As for chateau, but half the size

4. Cocotte Potatoes (Pommes Cocottes)

Peel and turn potatoes 3cm x 1.5 cm
Treat as for chateau potatoes reducing the time as they are a smaller size.

Potato Varieties Using Cutters
1. Parisienne Potatoes (Pommes Parisienne)

Cut balls from potato with a parisienne scoop (1 " diameter).
Shake in hot butter on stove top until starting to colour.
Place in oven to finish cooking.
Shake the pan occasionally to tum potatoes over.
When cooked, add some meat glaze to the pan and roll the potatoes in to coat the surface with a meat glaze.
Dress up sprinkled with chopped parsley.

2. Noisette Potatoes (Pommes Noisettes)

Cut the potatoes as for Parisienne but using a smaller scoop
Cook as for Parisienne potatoes but omit the meat glaze at the end
Serve brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

3. Olive Potatoes (Pommes Olivette)

The potatoes are cut with an oval cutter and cooked as for noisette potatoes

*N.B. Parmentier potatoes may be oven cooked as for noisette potatoes (see shallow fried varieties).

BRAISED VARIETIES
The liquid used for braising potatoes may be white stock or milk according to the variety. The oven temperature is I8O° C. 1. Boulangere potatoes (Baker style) - Pommes Boulangere

Slice potato thinly on a mandolin or by hand (1 / 1 6" thick)
Arrange in an oven proof dish or tray with alternating layers of shredded onion. Season between layers
Save some good shaped rounds of potato for the top
Three quarters cover with white stock. Don't allow stock to come over top layer or it will prevent browning
Brush with melted butter and place in the oven
When top is browned place a lid on to stop the top over colouring.
When cooked remove from oven and clean around dish using a clean cloth dipped in cold water

2. Savoyarde potatoes - Pommes Savoyarde

As for Boulangere with blanched lardons of bacon added
When nearly cooked, sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven to melt and brown

3. Fondant potatoes - Pommes Fondants

Turn potatoes barrel shape as for Chateau potatoes(see roast varieties)
Put fondant potatoes in cooking dish, quickly fry in butter/oil until colouring on surface
Place in suitable dish just large enough to take the potatoes
Half cover with white stock.
Place in the oven without a lid and cook at 18O° C until coloured and cooked through. (All the stock should have evaporated by the time they are cooked)
Brush with melted butter when serving and sprinkle with chopped parsley

4. Berrichonne potatoes - Pommes Berrichonne

As for Fondant potatoes but including chopped onion and lardons of bacon

5. Dauphinoise potatoes - Pommes Dauphinoise

Slice potatoes thinly as for Boulangere
Place in an oven proof dish which has been rubbed with a cut garlic clove and buttered
Pour over the following mixture per kg of potatoes:- 8oo ml milk (warm), 2 eggs, 100g grated cheese
Sprinkle with cheese
Cook in moderate oven about 45 minutes
Clean the dish and serve with chopped parsley

6. Delmonico potatoes - Pommes Delmonico

Cut potatoes into 1/2" dice. Place in oven proof dish
Barley cover with hot milk and season
Bring to boil and cook in oven (approx. 45 mins) until soft
Sprinkle well with white bread crumbs and melted butter
Replace in the oven until bread crumb topping is golden brown and crisp

7. Pommes Maitre d'hotel

Pre-cook potatoes in their jackets in water
Peel and slice 1/4" thick
Place in sauteuse and cover with boiling milk, season
Simmer gently and allow milk to reduce by half

8. Maire potatoes - Pommes Maire

Prepare as for Maitre d'hotel using cream instead of milk

MOULDED POTATOES
This category of potatoes is cooked in various sized moulds according to the variety. They are oven cooked (baked) producing a golden brown finish on the surface when turned out of the mould 1. Anna potatoes - Pommes Anna

Liberally oil a Pommes Anna mould
Shape potatoes into cylinders
Cut into very thin slices on a mandolin
With mould on the side of the stove arrange a layer of potato in the bottom of the mould
Continue layers of potato and seasoning until mould is full
Brush top layer with butter
Place a lid in the mould and cook in the oven (225-25O° C for about 50 minutes
During this time periodically remove mould from oven and press potatoes down adding more sliced potato if necessary to fill mould
When cooked, the edges should be a golden brown
Tum out of mould and brush with melted butter
Serve whole or cut into portions

*NB: If Anna moulds are not available, a deep sided frying pan may be used as an alternative.

2. Annette potatoes (Pommes Annette)

As for Anna but using individual Dariole moulds

3. Dauphin potatoes (Pommes dauphin)

As for Pommes Anna but cutting potatoes into julienne

4. Voisin potatoes (Pommes Voisin)

As for Pommes Anna but with the addition of grated parmesan