French Fondant Potatoes

Elegant cylinders of tender, buttery potato hearts. Easily made and simply beautiful!

French Fondant Potatoes

4 large, potatoes, peeled (Russet or Yukon Gold recommended)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 peeled and mashed cloves garlic

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 cup hot chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

-Peel the potatoes and slice the ends off, so they have flat ends with a good amount of surface area. With a knife or a potato peeler trim the sides, vertically, so that you approximate a cylinder shape about 2 inches high. You should be able to create 2 cylindrical pieces from each large potato. From a smaller potato you can expect to create one 2-inch cylinder.

-Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan on high heat until hot. Place the potatoes in the pan, one flat end down and cook for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the potatoes over to the other flat end, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, until golden brown.

-Add the butter, garlic and thyme to the pan, stirring together until butter melts and flavors are infused. Baste the potatoes several times with the butter./herb mixture. Remove the garlic to avoid burning it and pour the chicken stock around the potatoes.

-Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt and pepper and place in the oven uncovered, to cook for 35 - 45 minutes. Check the potatoes after 35 minutes to see if they are tender (insert a sharp knife into one of the potatoes – it should slide in easily). If not done, place back into the the oven for 5-10 minutes. Add a bit more chicken stock if the pan begins to look too dry.

-Once tender, remove potatoes from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with sprigs of fresh thyme and a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel, if desired. Makes 8 pieces, about 4 servings.

-Can be made ahead by frying the potatoes on both ends, add the butter, garlic and thyme, baste them, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. To complete cooking, remove from the fridge, remove the garlic, add the stock, salt and pepper and roast in the oven as per the recipe.

                              Peel and trim potatoes into 2 inch cylinders.

              Fry potatoes in butter, garlic and thyme on each end until golden

           Add chicken broth and thyme, then bake until tender, about 45 minutes.

      Cut into the center of one for a tender, fluffy and buttery potato experience!

                                A beautiful potato side dish. It’s a stunner!