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Pommes Paolo
Ingredients
Main Components
- Waxy potatoes – 300g
- Duck or goose fat – 400g
- Garlic – 3 cloves, halved
- Fresh thyme – 5 sprigs
- Salt – to taste
Spread
- Miso Kimchi Honey Butter Spread – as needed (see related recipe)
Garnishes
- Chopped chives or parsley – 10g
Instructions
1. Prepare the Potatoes
Slice: Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin, uniform sheets using the Chiba Kogyo Peel S Plus Dual Cartridge Vegetable Turning Slicer, which produces paper-thin sheets ideal for this preparation.
Rinse: Submerge the slices in water and rinse until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
Blanch: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the potato slices for about 1 minute until slightly tender but still firm.
Dry: Spread the blanched slices on a kitchen towel and allow them to cool and dry completely.
2. Infuse the Fat
Combine: In a saucepan, add the duck or goose fat, halved garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs.
Heat: Warm the mixture over medium heat for 15 minutes to infuse the fat with the aromatics.
Strain: Remove from heat and let it cool for 30 minutes. Strain the fat through a fine sieve to remove the solids.
3. Marinate the Potato Slices
Coat: Place the cooled potato slices in a bowl and pour the infused fat over them, ensuring each slice is thoroughly coated.
Marinate: Let the slices marinate for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.
4. Assemble the Potato Stacks
Stack: Neatly stack the marinated potato slices to the height of your metal molds or cups, pressing them firmly together so they adhere.
Mold: Place each stack into a metal mold or cup, ensuring they maintain their shape.
Cover: Pour any remaining infused fat over the stacks, making sure the potatoes are fully covered.
Chill: Refrigerate the molds for at least 2 hours, or until the fat solidifies and the stacks are set.
5. Fry the Potato Stacks
Heat Oil: In a deep pan, add enough oil to submerge the molds halfway. Heat the oil over high heat until it reaches 180°C (356°F).
Fry: Place the molds in the hot oil. As the oil heats, it will expand, so avoid overfilling to prevent overflow.
Monitor: Refill the molds with additional hot duck or goose fat as needed to keep the potatoes submerged.
Golden Brown: Fry until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Drain: Carefully remove the molds from the oil and place them upside down on a rack. Gently remove the molds and any top discs.
6. Plate and Garnish
Spread Base: Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread a thin, even layer of Miso Kimchi Honey Butter Spread onto a serving plate.
Add Stacks: Place the fried potato stacks directly onto the spread.
Top with More Spread: Add a dollop of the butter spread on top of each potato stack.
Garnish: Sprinkle chopped chives or parsley over the top for freshness and color.
Chef's Notes
- Precision in Slicing: Using the Chiba Kogyo Peel S Plus ensures uniform, paper-thin potato sheets, contributing to even cooking and an elegant presentation.
- Infused Fat: Marinating the potato slices in garlic and thyme-infused fat imparts depth of flavor.
- Safety First: Handle hot oil and molds with care to prevent burns.
- Advance Preparation: The potato stacks can be assembled and refrigerated a day in advance. Fry just before serving for maximum crispness.