Fried Potato Croquettes (Pommes Dauphine)

A few weeks ago, I was invited, along with many author food writers, to the splendid triple Michelin-starred Troisgros restaurant in the countryside. As you’ve probably already guessed, Pommes Dauphine, a potato dish that includes choux pastry, featured on the menu. I hadn’t eaten them in a long time and of course, when I returned home, I made them in my kitchen. Here is the recipe for you to enjoy. I suggest you serve them with rare red meat, creamed spinach, and a glass of good red wine.

Recipe for potato croquettes

For the puréed potatoes

• 7 oz. / 200 g cooked potato flesh

• 2 tablespoons / 30g salted butter

For the choux pastry

• 5 tablespoons / 75 ml milk

• 5 tablespoons / 75 ml water

• 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon / 65 g salted butter

• 1 teaspoon / 5 g salt

• 2/3 cup / 85 g flour

• 2/3 cup / 150 ml eggs, lightly beaten (The volume measurement is really important here! But keep in mind that this is the equivalent of about 3 eggs)

• Oil for frying

Steam the unpeeled potatoes. Peel them and mash them thoroughly with a fork or potato masher or ricer.

You should have a smooth purée.

Weigh out 7 oz. / 200 g and place in a pot with the butter.

Over medium heat, dry out the mashed potatoes, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

Set aside the mashed potatoes.

Place the milk, water, butter, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat.

Bring to a boil.

Immediately remove from the heat and throw in all the flour.

 

Mix energetically until fully incorporated and return to low heat. Now you need to dry out the batter, so stir constantly for 1 minute as some of the water evaporates. The batter will begin pulling away from the sides of the saucepan.

Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl.

Stir in the beaten eggs in several additions, adding more only after the previous one has been fully incorporated.

Stir briskly: the mixture must be perfectly smooth!

Now stir in the mashed potatoes. Again, the mixture must be smooth.

Heat a large pot with enough oil for deep-frying.

When the oil is sufficiently hot, use 2 spoons to shape balls of the mixture to fry.

Cook until they are nicely colored.

Remove them as they are done and place on paper towel to drain.

Serve while still crisp, with a meat dish and creamed spinach, for example.