Pommes Aligot Food

POMMES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Working 1 potato at a time, slice the potatoes very thin on a mandoline. (Work quickly to prevent discoloring, and don't put the potatoes in water, as this will wash off the starch.) Coat an 8-inch nonstick saute pan with olive oil, then layer the potato slices, starting in the center of the pan and making concentric circles. (Remember that eventually the bottom will become the top, so it is important for the first circles of potato to look pretty.) Brush each potato layer with olive oil, and sprinkle every second or third layer liberally with grated Parmigiano and salt. After each layer, press the potatoes so they are very compact.
• Place the pan over medium heat, and cook until the olive oil begins to sizzle and the potatoes begin to brown on the bottom. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Carefully and completely drain the excess oil out of the side of the pan (drips may cause burns). Flip the pan so the potato cake is turned out onto the bottom of the lid, then slide the potato cake off the lid and back into the pan (so the brown side is now facing up and the top becomes the bottom).
• Return the cake to the oven and bake until fork-tender, another 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

POMMES ALIGOT

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with room temperature water and season liberally with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender. Drain the potatoes, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water for thinning out if needed.
• Pass the potatoes through a food mill into a large bowl. Add the butter and heavy cream, and fold together with a spatula until combined. Fold in the shredded cheese. If the potatoes get too thick, thin them out with a little of the cooking water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with chives and a drizzle of olive oil.
• For the onion confit: Heat a large enameled cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add the butter; when it begins to foam, add the red onions, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves and sugar, and sprinkle liberally with salt. When the onions begin to caramelize, add the red wine and balsamic vinegar and reduce to dry. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 1 cup of the beef stock; cook until reduced to a glaze. Repeat until all the beef stock has been used. Turn off the heat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
• For the rib-eye: Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat; add the oil. Pat the steak dry with paper towels, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. When the oil is just below smoking, place the steak into the pan. Once a nice sear has developed, flip the steak and add the butter, thyme and garlic. If the garlic or steak begins to burn, reduce the heat. Cook, basting the steak with the bubbling butter, until an internal temperature of 125 degrees F has been reached for medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 7 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the French onion confit.

POMMES ALIGOT

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a pan of cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer then cook for 8-10 minutes until completely tender (but not falling apart). Drain, then tip back in the pan, Cover the pan with a tea towel and a lid and let them steam dry.
• Meanwhile, put the garlic and butter in a small pan and heat gently for 5 minutes to cook out the raw garlic. You don't want to get any colour, just infuse the butter. Add the cream and warm through.
• Use a potato ricer to pass the potatoes back into the pan and put over a low heat. Beat in the cream/ butter mix and let everything reheat then gradually stir in the cheese until it has melted into the mash. Serve straight away.

ALIGOT

Steps:

• Place the garlic in a small saucepan with the butter, then leave it on the gentlest heat possible to melt and infuse for 30 minutes.
• Thinly pare and discard the skins of the potatoes. Boil for 20-25 minutes, until tender in the centre when tested with a skewer.
• With an electric hand whisk, switch to slow and begin to break up the potatoes, then add the butter and garlic, some black pepper and a handful of the grated cheese.
• Now switch the speed to high and continue adding the cheese, a handful at a time, while you whisk. There's a lot of cheese, but what will happen is that, as you whisk it in, the potatoes will turn translucent and glossy and, as you lift and whisk, it will form stiff, glossy peaks.
• When all the cheese is in, serve very quickly. As the cheese goes in, the mixture becomes stiff and clings to the whisk, but keep going and it will part company with the whisk eventually.

POMMES ALIGOT

Steps:

• 1. NOTE: Don't use russet potatoes, as the result will be grainy. Use a waxy type of potato. For the cheese, you can also use Fontina, white Cheddar, or Swiss (or a mix of any of the above).
• 2. Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into even chunks. Add the potatoes to the boiling water along with the peeled garlic cloves. Boil until the potatoes are very tender.
• 3. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot, including the garlic. Mash until very smooth, adding pieces of butter as you go. Don't worry about over-working the potatoes, you want to get that starchy gumminess going.
• 4. Put the pot back on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir potatoes to make sure the butter is well incorporated and melted.
• 5. Add the cream, stirring well. Continue to stir until the potatoes start to feel thick and sticky. Lower the heat if they start to steam. This will take about 3 minutes.
• 6. Add the grated cheese a little at a time, stirring until each addition has melted completely. As you go, the potatoes will begin to get smooth and silky, with an elasticity to them. The mixture should form long, stretchy strands as you lift some from the pot.
• 7. Season the aligot with kosher salt. It should be thick, but still slow-flowing. If it's too thick, stir in a little bit of cream until it loosens up.
• 8. Aligot needs to be served immediately. Be sure to use warmed ramekins so it doesn't cool quickly and seize up.

POMMES ALIGOT

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and add enough water to cover by at least 2 inches. Add salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and return to saucepan. Stir until dry.
• Pass potatoes and garlic through a ricer into a large bowl; Stir until smooth.
• Return potato mixture to saucepan. Add heavy cream and butter; stir to combine. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• Place saucepan over low heat and stir in cheese curds until melted, adding milk to thin, if necessary; serve immediately.