Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (167 page)

When all potatoes are lightly brown, toss with the lemon peel, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue sautéing and tossing several minutes more until potatoes are as brown as you wish them to be.

(*)
AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE
: May be kept warm at this point, pan set partially covered over 2 asbestos mats over low heat. As long as they are warm and ventilated, potatoes will retain their fresh taste for at least half an hour.

If available: 1 Tb minced fresh basil

2 to 3 Tb minced fresh parsley

2 or more Tb butter

About 1 Tb lemon juice

A hot serving plate or the meat platter

Just before you are ready to serve, reheat to sizzling and toss with the herbs and butter. Check seasoning again, and toss with lemon juice to taste. Turn out onto plate and serve immediately.

GALETTE DE POMMES DE TERRE AUX TOMATES

[Hashed Brown Potatoes with Tomatoes and Herbs]

Another recipe for sautéed potatoes, this time with pork bits, onions, and tomatoes, calls for the potatoes to be mashed down with a fork when soft so that they look like an omelette when turned out onto their serving plate. Arrange sausages, sautéed chicken, chops, hamburgers, or poached or fried eggs around the potatoes, and you need only a green vegetable or salad for the perfect informal meal.

For 6 servings

1)
The pork and onions

4 to 5 ounces (about ⅔ cup) bacon chunk or lean salt pork cut into ¼-inch dice

A pan with 2 quarts water

1 Tb olive oil or cooking oil

A large (11-inch) frying pan (no-stick recommended especially for this recipe)

⅔ cup minced onions

A cover for the pan

A sieve set over a small bowl

Simmer the diced bacon or pork in the water for 10 minutes, drain and dry in paper towels. Cook for several minutes with the olive oil in the frying pan until it begins to brown lightly. Stir in the onions, cover the pan, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until onions are tender. Raise heat and cook, stirring, to brown the onions very lightly. Scrape into sieve, pressing fat out of ingredients into bowl. Return fat to frying pan; reserve pork and onions for Step 3.

2)
Sautéing the potatoes

About 2 lbs. “boiling” potatoes (7 cups, sliced)

Paper towels

More oil as needed

A mixing fork or a wooden spoon

Salt and pepper

While onions are cooking, peel the potatoes, cut into slices about ⅛ inch thick and 1¼ inches in diameter. Dry thoroughly in paper towels. Add more oil to pan if needed, to film it by
¹
⁄
₁₆
inch. Raise heat to moderately high, and when fat is very hot but not smoking, add the potatoes. Toss and turn frequently for several minutes, shaking and swirling the pan by its handle, until potatoes begin to brown. Lower heat slightly, cover pan, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing frequently, until potatoes are tender. Uncover, mash roughly with mixing fork or wooden spoon, and season to taste.

3)
Finishing the recipe

1 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped (1½ cups tomato pulp)

1 to 2 large cloves mashed garlic

¼ tsp mixed herbs such as
herbes de Provence
or Italian seasoning

The cooked pork bits and minced onion

A hot serving dish

Raise heat to high. Fold in the tomatoes, garlic, and herbs along with the cooked pork bits and onions. Season again to taste, and sauté uncovered for several minutes to brown. Potatoes should slide around in a mass, and you may be able to flip them over, to brown both sides.

(*)
AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE
: If you are not ready to serve, set partially uncovered over low heat and 2 asbestos mats, where potatoes will keep warm without harm for half an hour at least. Reheat to sizzling just before serving.

If you have browned top and bottom of the potato mass, you may serve it like a flat cake, sliding potatoes from pan onto plate. Otherwise they will be most attractive in the form of an oval omelette: flip the two sides over the middle, and reverse the pan onto the serving plate so the potatoes land browned side up.

POMMES ANNA