Sandy Potatoes Pommes De Terre Sablees Recipes

SANDY POTATOES -- POMMES DE TERRE SABLEES

Steps:

• Choose a frying pan (I use non-stick) big enough to fit all the potatoes in one layer.
• Melt the butter in this pan and lay in the whole baby potatoes or potato wedges.
• Cook over a low heat, so the butter does not burn, turning the potatoes several times so they become golden all over.
• Smaller potatoes should be cooked in 25 minutes, while larger ones may take up to 40 minutes.
• When they are tender, add the extra butter and the breadcrumbs.
• Sauté for a couple more minutes until the breadcrumbs are crispy.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately.

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 PERSILLEES (PARSLEYED POTATOES)

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes. If they are ''new'' potatoes, there should be at least 24. Leave them whole. If they are large Idaho potatoes, cut each of them into four equal-size pieces.
• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add water to cover and salt to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size. Do not overcook.
• Drain and add the butter and parsley, turning the potatoes gently in the butter until they are coated.

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 DE TERRE SAUTE BONNE FEMME (POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS)

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthwise into half-inch-thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them lengthwise into half-inch-thick strips. Cut the strips into half-inch cubes. There should be about four cups. Add water to cover.
• Cut the mushrooms into quarters. There should be about three cups.
• Drain the potatoes.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. When it is quite hot, add the potatoes. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, eight to 10 minutes until lightly golden.
• Add the mushrooms and continue cooking, shaking the pan and stirring over high heat, about two minutes.
• Add the butter and scatter the onion over all. Add salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking about five minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

CRISP POTATO CAKE (GALETTE DE POMME DE TERRE)

Steps:

• Pat potatoes dry if very starchy or moist. In a sauté pan large enough to fit potato slices in just two layers, spread 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with nutmeg and pepper to taste. Starting in center, arrange potato slices in a closely overlapping, attractive spiral. When pan is filled, repeat to make a second layer.
• Place pan over medium heat and cover. Slowly cook potatoes until well browned on underside, about 15 minutes, occasionally shaking pan gently to avoid sticking. Wipe inside of lid as needed to keep it dry.
• Press potatoes down with a flat spatula and remove from heat. Place a larger platter over pan and flip it upside down, transferring potatoes to the platter. Check pan to make sure it is clean and has enough oil to keep potatoes from sticking.
• Slide galette, raw side down, back into pan, and return to medium heat. Cover and cook until well browned, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a persillade by combining parsley and garlic in a small bowl. To serve, slide galette onto a serving platter, season to taste with salt, and garnish with persillade or thyme.

POMMES DE TERRE FONDANTES

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a kettle and add water to cover and salt. Bring to the boil and cook about 3 minutes. Drain.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the potatoes in one layer. Add the potatoes. Cover and cook, turning often, until potatoes are golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• Pour off the fat and add the broth. Cover closely and cook over moderately low heat about 10 minutes. Add the butter and stir. Uncover the potatoes and cook until all the liquid is evaporated from the saucepan.