Description
Fondant Potatoes are a classic French side dish featuring tender, golden-brown potato cylinders cooked in butter, olive oil, and chicken stock with fragrant thyme. This recipe yields perfectly crisped exteriors and creamy interiors, ideal for serving alongside steak or roasted meats for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 4 large floury potatoes (400g / 14 oz each, peeled) (Aus: Sebago, US: Russet, UK: King Edward)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Cooking and Flavoring
- 3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm / 1/2″ cubes
- 6 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock / broth (or vegetable broth)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced) to prepare for baking the potatoes.
- Prepare Potatoes: Peel and carve each potato into cylinders about 6cm (2″) in diameter and 7cm (3″) tall. Then cut each cylinder in half to create 8 short cylinders approximately 3.5cm (1.4″) tall. Alternatively, you can slice potatoes into evenly thick rounds around 3.5cm if carving is difficult.
- Season Potatoes: Pat the potato pieces dry and place them in a large bowl. Toss with half of the olive oil and season generously with salt and black pepper to ensure flavor penetrates.
- Sear Potatoes: Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in an ovenproof heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potato cylinders and sear each side for 6-8 minutes until they develop a golden-brown crust.
- Add Butter and Thyme: Add the unsalted butter cubes and thyme sprigs to the pan. Once melted, continuously baste the potatoes with the flavored butter to enhance richness and aroma.
- Add Stock and Bake: Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender inside. At the 15-minute mark, baste the potatoes again to keep them moist and flavorful.
- Finish and Serve: After baking, baste the potatoes one last time with the remaining butter and serve immediately. For an elevated meal, pair fondant potatoes with steak, béarnaise sauce, and buttered peas.
Notes
- To prevent potatoes from browning before cooking, keep peeled pieces submerged in water.
- Use an ovenproof heavy skillet such as cast iron or stainless steel for searing and baking.
- If you can’t carve perfect cylinders, thick potato slices also work well and yield delicious results.
- Adjust seasoning and stock quantity depending on pan size to avoid flavor dilution.
- Leftover potato scraps can be saved and used for mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato cylinder (approx. 120g)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
