My Pommes Mont D'or recipe 3 ways: rosette, croquettes and potato nest.  

It takes just a few simple ingredients to make this ‘Golden Mount of Potatoes’ which is crusty on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. I played around with this classic recipe to make three side dishes that will pair deliciously with a brown sauce and any type of roast.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) floury potatoes (variety suited for puree)

• 50 to 100 g (1.8 – 3.5 oz) butter (depending on how rich you want the mixture to be)

• 100 g (3.5 oz) grates gruyere or Comte cheese

• 4 egg yolks

• Salt and pepper for seasoning

• A few pinches of grated nutmeg (for the seasoning)  

For the croquettes:

• Flour

• 1-2 eggs

• Breadcrumbs

MISE EN PLACE

You will need a vegetable mill, or potato ricer, and a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes in half. Separate the egg yolks into a small bowl and beat into an omelette.

Preheat the oven at 200°C (400°F)

Method

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan filled with cold water and 2 tablespoons of salt and bring the water to the boil. When the water boils, cook the potatoes for around 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but still firm. When done, transfer the potatoes to a colander and leave to drain for a few minutes.

2. Transfer the potatoes to a baking tray and break them apart with a fork, then leave to dry in the oven for 3 minutes,

3. Use the vegetable mill to purée the potatoes into a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes to remove any moisture, then season with salt and pepper along with the nutmeg.

4. Next, add half the butter and mix until it is melted into the potatoes before adding the cheese. When the cheese has melted into the potatoes, add the rest of the butter.

5. Now turn the heat off and mix in the egg 1 tablespoon at a time to avoid the mixture becoming too runny.

6. When all the eggs are added, turn the heat back on to low and cook stirring constantly for a few minutes until the consistency of the potato mixture resembles a dough and stops sticking to the pan.

7. Now scrape the potato mixture into a shallow tray and let sit until lukewarm before packing the potato mixture into a piping bag.

8. To make classic swirls, pipe walnut size rosettes on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Spoon a tablespoon of melted butter over each and a sprinkle of cheese (optional). Bake at 180 - 200°C for 15 minutes until golden.

9. To make the potato nests, pipe 2 circles of around 8 cm in diameter, one on top of the other. Spoon a tablespoon of melted butter over each and a sprinkle of cheese (optional). Bake for 15 minutes until golden.

10. To make the croquettes, place the potato mixture in the freezer until completely cold but not frozen. Roll the mixture into medium size balls, then coat in the flour followed by the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Deep fry at 180 degrees Celsius for 3-4 minutes.