Tonight I tackled two potato dishes that involved searing on the stove and then moving to the oven: Pommes Darphin (Potatoes Dauphin) and Pommes Anna (Potatoes Anna). What must one do to have a potato dish named after her, I wonder?
Pommes Darphin involved julienned potatoes that were well-drained (put in a towel and twist out the moisture) and then seasoned with salt and pepper and added to an ovenproof pan whose bottom was lightly coated with vegetable oil, and then heated on medium-high until not quite smoking. The julienned potatoes are then arranged neatly in the pan into a circular shape and pressed down until about 2.5 cm deep. You cook them for about 7 minutes until bottom is seared and won't stick (heat is important) and then you flip them and return to the stove and run soft butter around the edge with a wooden spoon. Then, you put in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes until browned and crisp. Seems easy enough until you get to the flipping part. I didn't do so well, but when you realize the not-so-pretty side is the bottom, it's all good. I think this would be a nice "plate" for sunny-side up eggs and bacon.
Pommes Anna involves layering 2mm thick potato slices that have been tossed in clarified butter and are then layered in an ovenproof pan on low heat, in slightly overlapping concentric circles until a full layer covers the pan. Then, you add more butter and salt and pepper, and more potatoes, until they are about 4 cm deep. You then increase the heat so the potatoes sear on the bottom and then move, covered, to a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Then, you drain the butter from the pan, flip it and return back to the oven, uncovered for about 20 more minutes. Mine slid a bit before the flip, so kind of looked like a dahlia...I think I might end up trying this one again, if I have time.
Anyway, just two more potato dishes to go and then on to Poultry!
Sweet potato dreams, xoxoxxo
