Pommes Braytoises Recipes

POMMES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Working 1 potato at a time, slice the potatoes very thin on a mandoline. (Work quickly to prevent discoloring, and don't put the potatoes in water, as this will wash off the starch.) Coat an 8-inch nonstick saute pan with olive oil, then layer the potato slices, starting in the center of the pan and making concentric circles. (Remember that eventually the bottom will become the top, so it is important for the first circles of potato to look pretty.) Brush each potato layer with olive oil, and sprinkle every second or third layer liberally with grated Parmigiano and salt. After each layer, press the potatoes so they are very compact.
• Place the pan over medium heat, and cook until the olive oil begins to sizzle and the potatoes begin to brown on the bottom. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Carefully and completely drain the excess oil out of the side of the pan (drips may cause burns). Flip the pan so the potato cake is turned out onto the bottom of the lid, then slide the potato cake off the lid and back into the pan (so the brown side is now facing up and the top becomes the bottom).
• Return the cake to the oven and bake until fork-tender, another 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

POMMES FRITES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes if desired; cut into 1/2-inch-thick matchsticks. Place in a bowl of cold water to soak for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan (at least 5 quarts) to 325 degrees. Remove potatoes from water; dry very well with paper towels. Add potatoes in batches to oil; blanch for 2 minutes (potatoes will not take on any color). Drain well; transfer to pans lined with paper towels to cool completely.
• Raise heat of oil to 375 degrees. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Add potatoes to oil in batches; fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain well; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt; keep warm in oven while frying remaining potatoes. Serve immediately.

POMMES ANNA

Steps:

• Heat large knob of butter with a healthy drizzle of olive oil over medium low heat until butter melts and just starts to foam. Shut off heat under pan.
• Using a sharp and stable Japanese mandolin - or the real French metal one if you're lucky enough to have one - slice the potatoes into very thin but not paper-thin slices.
• Arrange the slices tightly, careful shingling around the pan in concentric circles starting at the outer edge of the pan and working your way into the center. Season the first layer with a little salt. Repeat with each potato until you achieve three tight and gorgeous layers.
• Turn the heat back on under the pan at medium. Drizzle the potatoes with a generous pour of olive oil and dot a few more pats of butter around the pan of potatoes. Season with salt. As the pan starts to sizzle, you will see the fat bubbling up and spitting a bit. Put a lid on the pan and seal tightly for a minute or two, giving the potatoes a little steam bath, helping to soften and cook the flesh. Remove the lid and swirl the pan with a little muscle to see if the potatoes are binding together as their starch begins to heat up. If they slip loosely all around the pan, tuck the slices back into the tight circle using a heat-proof rubber spatula and allow to sizzle and cook longer uncovered. Bump up the flame a little if the cooking sounds and looks listless - you want to hear sizzle. When you start to smell the potatoes turning golden and crisp - like the smell of toast - swirl the pan again to confirm that the potato layers have formed a cake, and then flip the pommes Anna and cook on the other side also until golden and crispy. Slide onto serving plate or cutting board, season with salt, and cut into wedges.

POMMES ANNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
• Heat a medium nonstick or well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium to medium-low heat. With a sharp knife or box grater, slice the potatoes as thinly as possible. Pat the potato slices dry on a kitchen towel. Start to arrange 1 layer of overlapping potato slices over the bottom of the pan in concentric circles. Pour the clear liquid of the butter over the sliced potatoes, leaving the milky solids on the bottom of the saucepan. Repeat 2 more times, making 3 layers. Drizzle each layer with a bit of the butter and season the layers, alternating salt, pepper, and then nutmeg. Cook on low heat until potatoes are golden on the bottom and crisp around the outside, about 25 to 30 minutes. Shake the pan back and forth several times while cooking to keep from sticking.
• Pour off any excess butter into a small bowl and reserve. Place a flat pan lid, the diameter of the skillet, over the potatoes. Holding the lid firmly in place, gently flip over. Add the reserved butter to the pan and slide the potatoes back in. Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Shake the pan back and forth several times while cooking to keep the potatoes from sticking. The bottom should be browned and crisp and the potatoes cooked through. Pour off any fat remaining in the pan and slide the potato cake onto a serving dish. Slice into wedges, sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

POMMES FRITES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes, and cut them into batons that are about the length and width of your index finger.
• Preheat a deep pot of oil to 325 degrees F.
• For the first fry, deep fry potatoes in the oil for 5 to 6 minutes, or until a light golden color. Do not over load fryer. Fry in 3 batches if necessary. Remove the potatoes using a slotted spoon, and allow them to cool to room temperature.
• Raise the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees F.
• For the second fry, deep-fry the potatoes for 2 minutes, or until crispy. Remove potatoes, and transfer into a colander or bowl. While still hot, salt the potatoes.
• Serve with favorite dipping sauce.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Mix all ingredients together