Fancy French Fondant Potatoes (2023)

by | Side Dishes

Fancy French Fondant Potatoes are a buttery, herb crusted, elegant French technique of roasting a potato. Once cooked, they are creamy on the inside with a crunchy golden edge on the outside.

Fondant Potatoes
Fondant Potatoes

Fancy Potatoes

Is it possible for a potato to wow you with the most amazing flavor, texture and presentation? 

Of course, we are always looking for new recipes for the potato, and finally a few great fondant potato recipes are being considered as a ‘great recipe’ for the potato. 

This recipe has long been considered a classic French side dish, and so why not a great American side dish as well!

While I am not so well versed in French cuisine, I learned this technique for the master.  

Russet Potatoes
Russet Potatoes

Potatoes

Let’s be honest, the humble potato is delicious, no matter how they are prepared, and quite easy to grow

And while there are endless ways to prepare a potato, they are often not fancy:

  • tossed in with the family Sunday roast
  • become potato pieces hidden in chicken pot pies or other meat pies
  • let’s not forget summertime’s favorite potato salad
  • an all-in-one favorite meal is the twice cooked potato, with anything and everything inside
  • or mashed in creamy potatoes, of which I often add to a soup base to thicken
Homegrown Potatoes
Homegrown Potatoes

Another Fancy Classic French Dish For The Potato

The good news about preparing a fancy potato dish for special occasions, such as wedding receptions or Christmas dinner, is that there are two potato recipes that are the right size to fit on the plate, and still look elegant. 

These two are, the fondant potatoes recipe and another favorite, called a Dauphinoise potato

The difference is that the fondant potato is created to stand alone, and doesn’t use a sauce to cover its attractive cylindrical shapes. 

While a dauphinoise potato recipe is multiple thin layers, stacked, cooked in a cream sauce; then for a fancy presentation, a round cookie cutter is used to shape them into individual servings. 

Dauphinoise Potatoes
Dauphinoise Potatoes

How To Make Fancy French Fondant Potatoes

Your best friend, in making the fondant potato, is going to be a large cast iron skillet!

The best type of potato to use, will be large russet potatoes or several Yukon gold potatoes. 

Once the potatoes are trimmed, to give them a more cylinder shape, they need some of the starch removed for a crisper finish when cooked. 

An important step is to soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for twenty minutes, or over night, and pat dry thoroughly when ready to cook.

The cooking method is easy; golden sear on the flat surface of the potato tops and bottoms, in oil and butter or clarified butter. 

Olive oil is not recommended since the heat of the pan will smoke the olive oil. 

Once a golden sear is obtained, the cast iron pan goes right into the oven to finish roasting. 

Soaking The Starch Out Of Potatoes
Soaking The Starch Out Of Potatoes

Ingredients Needed

  • Russet Potatoes
  • Canola or Sunflower oil
  • Butter
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Broth
Cast Iron Skillets
Cast Iron Skillets

Equipment Needed

  • Cast iron pan – preferably
  • Large bowl – to soak potato slices
  • Kitchen towel – to dry potatoes
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • Metal spatula
  • Sauce pan – to warm the broth
  • Stove top or burner
  • Hot oven

Fancy French Fondant Potatoes

Recipe by Robin DaumitCourse: Side DishesCuisine: Mediterranean
Servings

4

servings

Fancy French Fondant Potatoes are a buttery, herb crusted, French technique that cooks them creamy on the inside with a crunchy golden edge on the outside.

Ingredients

  • Large russet or Yukon potatoes – 3 large or 6 medium

  • Canola or sunflower oil – 2 tbsp

  • Butter – 2 – 3 tbsp (duck fat can also me used)

  • Salt and black pepper to taste

  • Broth – 1/2 cup, chicken or vegetable, warmed

  • Sprigs of thyme or rosemary – several

  • Cast iron pan works best

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF
  • Cut a flat side to each end of the potatoes. Stand it on one end and cut the skin off, rather than peel, with the intention of making the potato appear to be a long cylinder, cut into three pieces, which will look like large scallops, once cooked. 
    Soak the cut potatoes in an airtight container of cold water with 1 teaspoon of salt, for at least 20 minutes (or over night). 
  • When ready to prepare, rinse the starch from the potatoes and dry well on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste.
  • In a hot skillet, place the oil, several tablespoons of butter, fresh thyme sprigs and the flat side of the potatoes and cook enough to get a great sear on the bottom. Using a pair of tongs, turn the potatoes upside down to sear the tops of the potatoes to look the same, about 5 minutes on the tops and bottoms. Use a spoon to drizzle the hot butter over the potatoes while browning.  
  • Turn off the stove top, pour hot chicken broth or vegetable stock into the pan and pop it into the preheated oven quickly, no lid. 
    Bake for about 25 minutes. Check at 20 minutes to make sure the broth has not totally evaporated. If it has, add a few tablespoon more warm broth, but it should be good. After 25 minutes, take the pan out and let the potatoes rest 5-6 minutes before serving. Garnish with a few more thyme sprigs. 

Notes

  • Having the broth hot before adding to the cast iron pan keeps the pan’s temps right where they need to be.
Fancy French Fondant Potatoes
Fancy French Fondant Potato
 

My Muffin Madness

 

In my family, I’ve always been known as the ‘Muffin Queen’. Out of necessity, I created muffins for breakfast, lunch, on the go snacks, sometimes dinner and a sweet yet healthyish treat for dessert!

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Ally
2 years ago

Love these Miss Pea! I’m up for this Thanksgiving and embracing the new POTATOES!!???

 
Penny
Penny
2 years ago
Reply to  Ally

2020
We’re changing it up this year… we’re going to have steaks on the grill… so I will make these to go with our dinner??

 
Penny
Penny
2 years ago

I did it… I made the fondant potatoes and they looked and tasted sooo good. Definitely need to do them in a cast iron pan!!!
My husband loved them also.

 
Shea Goldstein
2 years ago

Why am I just now seeing these?!? They look DIVINE! Thank you for sharing; I’ll tag you on Insta when I make them 🙂

 
Helen
Helen
25 days ago

I didn’t think any potato could be better than mashed potatoes, but these are delicious and elegant and easy!

 
Robin Daumit
25 days ago
Reply to  Helen

Definitely competition for which is better!!

 
Penny
Penny
25 days ago

Love making these… they are my favorite to impress my guests.

 
Robin Daumit
25 days ago
Reply to  Penny

Thank you Penny, I totally agree!!

 
Doran Upton
Doran Upton
25 days ago

My favorite way to eat them . Thank you for sharing they look so yummy!

 
Tthomas
Tthomas
25 days ago

These are so good!

 

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