Stocks to Stock

Pomme frites, pommes puree, pommes duchesse, and gratin dauphinois - we made it all! To start the class, the chef demonstrated using the mandoline to create various different cuts of potatoes. We then fried the potatoes using a few different methods at different temperatures. This class resulted in more cuts from the mandoline and burns from the frier than I care to think about. The smaller cuts of potatoes were fried once at a higher temperature and the larger cuts were fried twice, once at a low temperature and then again at a higher temperature to ensure the potato cooked all the way through. The results were delicious.

We also made a hash brown like potato pie using seasoned shoe string cut potatoes. I think this would be excellent if stuffed with cheese and bacon. It was really easy to make - simply brown in a pan on one side, flip and finish in the oven. I see this dish making an appearance at brunch in the near future.

The best part of class was the potato gratin dauphinois. We cooked thinly sliced potatoes in cream seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg before finishing in individual ramekins with Gruyere cheese. High in calories and satisfaction. I ate this for dinner with some chicken from the prepared meal. Honestly though, by the time dinner came I was pretty full on potato.

The final dish we made was mashed potatoes. These were pretty easy and filled with butter and cream. We piped them onto a tray and browned in the oven. This creates a lovely outer crust and warm fluffy inside.

At the end of class the chef demonstrated how we could make some other dishes including potato croquettes and pommes soufflees. The pommes soufflees are triple fried potatoes that expand into a blown out potato chip. It's a very impressive and difficult technique that is often then stuffed with a filling and served as a side dish. Our assistant chef (Mark) showed us a garnish he used to make at Per Se which was a beautiful chip with a piece of parsley inside. It didn't seem difficult to make but incredibly time consuming. After this class though, I think I'll lay off the potatoes for a while. Maybe with the exception of the gratin.