Best Pommes Dauphine Recipes

POMMES DAUPHINE

Steps:

• Combine the potatoes and coarse sea salt in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender all the way through when tested with a knife. Drain and let stand until just cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and pass them through a food mill; this will yield about 2 cups of potatoes.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a medium baking dish with parchment paper. Spread the potatoes in the dish and bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, to evaporate some of their moisture.
• Prepare the pâte-à-choux: combine the butter, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Return to low heat and stir for 1 minute, until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Stir for 3 more minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.
• Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and let cool for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat 1 egg lightly with a fork. Set aside. Add the second egg to the potato mixture and stir with a spatula until well blended. Stir in the beaten egg, tablespoon by tablespoon, just enough to make the pâte-à-choux smooth, shiny and elastic; the entire egg may not be needed.
• Add the potatoes to the pâte-à-choux, season with pepper and beat with a spatula to combine. (To store for up to 8 hours, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface, cover and refrigerate.)
• Heat 4 inches of oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan until a candy thermometer registers 320 to 340 degrees. Line a medium baking dish with a double layer of paper towels. The first pomme dauphine will be a test of the seasoning and the oil temperature. Using 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, shape a 1-inch ball and drop it into the oil. It should fall to the bottom and bob up after a few seconds. (If it doesn't, the oil isn't hot enough.)
• Fry until puffy, golden and crisp, about 3 minutes, flipping it from time to time with a mesh skimmer. Remove from the oil with the skimmer, transfer to the prepared dish and season with a pinch of salt. Shake the dish lightly so the paper towels absorb excess oil. Let cool for a minute, taste and adjust the seasoning of the potato mixture accordingly.
• Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, frying the pommes in batches of 3 or 4 and stirring them gently with a skimmer so they will not stick to each other. Keep warm in a 300-degree oven until all the batter is used. Serve immediately.

POMMES DAUPHINE - PUFFED POTATOES

Steps:

• 1. Clean and boil the potatoes in slightly salted water until soft (about 20 minutes) 2. Allow them to cool slightly, then peel them, and mash them as if making mashed potatoes. 3. Return them to a very low heat and dry the mashed potatoes stirring with a wooden spoon until they no longer stick to the sides of the pot. 4. While the potatoes are boiling, make the dough: boil 8 oz (25cl) of water with the butter and a pinch of salt, remove from heat and add the flour all at once mixing vigorously until absorbed, then put the mixture back on a low fire to dry slightly. 5. Remove the mixture from the fire and add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until you have a dough that is still wet and slightly sticky. 3. Mix the potatoes and the dough together completely in the ratio of 1/3 potato with 2/3 dough. Add salt, nutmeg and pepper to taste. 4. Heat several inches of oil in a pot or deep fryer to 350F (180C) and carefully drop a tablespoon of the mixture into the the oil - repeating until you are cooking 5-6 at a time. 5. Allow the mixture to puff up and brown before removing it to drain on paper towels. 6. Repeat until the mixture is gone. Serve hot. These are a fabulous accompaniment to meat dishes and chicken. As a variation add some grated cheese to the mixture before cooking.