The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (132 page)

SERVES 3 TO 4

Take care to cut the potatoes into evenly sized wedges so that all of the pieces will cook at about the same rate. Although it isn’t required, a nonstick baking sheet works particularly well for this recipe. It not only keeps the fries from sticking to the pan but, because of its dark color, it also encourages deep and even browning. Whether you choose a nonstick baking sheet or a regular baking sheet, make sure that it is heavy duty. The intense heat of the oven may cause lighter pans to warp. You can substitute vegetable oil for the peanut oil if desired.

1.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes in large bowl, cover with hot tap water, and soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coat 18 by 12-inch heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with 4 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with ³⁄
₄
teaspoon salt and ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon pepper; set aside. Line second baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels and set aside.

2.
Drain potatoes. Spread potatoes out on paper towel–lined baking sheet, then thoroughly pat dry with additional paper towels. Rinse and wipe out now-empty bowl. Return potatoes to bowl and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange potatoes in single layer on oiled baking sheet, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake 5 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottoms of potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using metal spatula and tongs, scrape to loosen potatoes from pan, then flip each wedge, keeping potatoes in single layer. Continue baking until fries are golden and crisp, 5 to 15 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed if fries are browning unevenly.

3.
While fries bake, line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Transfer baked fries to prepared baking sheet to drain. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

The French bistro classic, potatoes lyonnaise, uses only four ingredients—butter, onion, potatoes, and parsley. But despite its apparent simplicity, we found that most recipes produced sodden, greasy, heavy potatoes accompanied by waterlogged onions. For perfectly browned slices of tender potato tossed with soft, sweet strands of onion, our first step was zeroing in on the right potato. Yukon Golds beat out crumbly, high-starch russets and rubbery, low-starch red potatoes. We parcooked the potatoes in the microwave so that once they were added to the skillet they would cook through in the time they took to brown (without the microwave, the potatoes charred on the outside before cooking through). While the potatoes were in the microwave, we cooked the onion just long enough to release moisture and cook in its own juices. Finally, we united the onion and potatoes in a brief sauté for the perfect melding of flavors.

SERVES 3 TO 4

Toss the potatoes halfway through the microwaving time to prevent uneven cooking. If using a lightweight skillet, you will need to stir the potatoes more frequently to prevent burning.

1.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion is light brown and soft, about 12 minutes longer, deglazing with water when pan gets dry, about halfway through cooking time. Transfer to bowl and cover. (Do not wash skillet.)

2.
While onion cooks, microwave 1 tablespoon butter in large bowl until melted, about 20 seconds. Add potatoes and toss to coat with melted butter. Microwave until potatoes just start to turn tender (potatoes will offer some resistance when poked with paring knife), about 6 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. Toss potatoes again and set aside.

3.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and shake skillet to distribute evenly. Cook, without stirring, until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Using spatula, stir potatoes carefully and continue to cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until potatoes are well browned and tender when poked with paring knife, 8 to 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with remaining ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon salt and pepper.

4.
Return onion to skillet and stir to combine. Cook until onion is heated through and flavors have melded, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to large plate, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Rich and creamy scalloped potatoes are a holiday favorite and typically require holiday-style (read: labor-intensive) preparation. We wanted a lighter, quicker version of scalloped potatoes that we could make for weeknight dinners. We used traditional russet potatoes to form tight, cohesive layers, and equal parts canned chicken broth and heavy cream to offset the typical heaviness of the dish. We parboiled the sliced potatoes in the broth-cream mixture on top of the stove, then poured the whole mixture into a casserole dish and finished it in the oven.

SERVES 4 TO 6

The quickest way to slice the potatoes is in a food processor fitted with an ¹⁄
₈
-inch slicing blade. If the potatoes are too long to fit into the feed tube, halve them crosswise and put them in the feed tube cut side down so that they sit on a flat surface. If the potato slices discolor as they sit, put them in a bowl and cover with the cream and chicken broth. You can substitute Parmesan for the cheddar if desired.

1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

2.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped in and out of potato slice with some resistance), about 10 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves.

3.
Transfer mixture to 8-inch square baking dish (or other 1¹⁄
₂
-quart gratin dish), press into an even layer, and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
Once potatoes have been pressed into an even layer in step 3, refrigerate for up to 1 day. When ready to bake, add cheese, cover with aluminum foil, and bake in 400-degree oven until mixture is hot and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook until cheese begins to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Add 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce along with thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in step 2, and substitute smoked cheddar cheese for cheddar.

Add 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¹⁄
₄
inch thick, and 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ¹⁄
₄
inch thick, to butter along with onion in step 2; cook until moisture released by mushrooms has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Pommes Anna, the classic French potato cake (or galette) in which thinly sliced potatoes are tossed with clarified butter, tightly shingled in a skillet, and cooked slowly on the stovetop, delivers showstopping results, but it requires so much labor and time that we’re willing to make it only once a year. We wanted a potato galette with a crisp, deeply bronzed crust encasing a creamy center that tastes of earthy potatoes and sweet butter—and we wanted one we could make on a weeknight. We started by neatly arranging just the first layer of potatoes in the skillet, and casually packed the rest of the potatoes into the pan; once the galette was inverted onto the plate, only the tidy layer was visible. We swapped the traditional cast-iron skillet for a nonstick pan and achieved superior browning by starting the galette on the stovetop, then transferring it to the bottom rack of the oven. Regular melted butter was just as good as clarified and less work, and for a galette that held together but wasn’t gluey, we rinsed the potatoes to rid them of excess starch, then incorporated a little cornstarch for just the right amount of adhesion. And in lieu of occasionally tamping down on the galette during cooking as in traditional recipes, we simply filled a cake pan with pie weights and set it on the galette for a portion of the baking time.

See “MAKING SIMPLIFIED POTATO GALETTE” illustration that follows recipe.

SERVES 6 TO 8

In order for the potato cake to hold together, it is important to slice the potatoes no more than ¹⁄
₈
inch thick and to make sure the slices are thoroughly dried before assembling the cake. Use a mandoline slicer or the slicing attachment of a food processor to slice the potatoes uniformly thin. A pound of dried beans, rice, or coins can be substituted for the pie weights. You will need a 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet for this recipe.

1.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes in large bowl and fill with cold water. Using hands, swirl to remove excess starch, drain, then spread potatoes onto kitchen towels and dry thoroughly.

2.
Whisk 4 tablespoons butter, cornstarch, rosemary, if using, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Add dried potatoes and toss to thoroughly coat. Place remaining 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and swirl to coat. Place 1 potato slice in center of skillet, then overlap slices in circle around center slice, followed by outer circle of overlapping slices. Gently place remaining sliced potatoes on top of first layer, arranging so they form even thickness.

3.
Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook until sizzling and potatoes around edge of skillet start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Spray 12-inch square of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray. Place foil, sprayed side down, on top of potatoes. Place 9-inch cake pan on top of foil and fill with 2 cups pie weights. Firmly press down on cake pan to compress potatoes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake 20 minutes.

4.
Remove cake pan and foil from skillet. Continue to bake until potatoes are tender when paring knife is inserted in center, 20 to 25 minutes. Return skillet to stovetop and cook over medium heat, gently shaking pan, until galette releases from sides of pan, 2 to 3 minutes.

5.
Off heat, place cutting board over skillet. Using oven mitts or potholders, hold cutting board in place with one hand and with other hand on skillet handle, carefully invert skillet and cutting board together. Lift skillet off galette. Using serrated knife, gently cut into wedges and serve immediately.