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A delicious and flavorful fondant potato dish that will elevate any meal! With a perfect blend of spices, these golden fondant potatoes are a fantastic side dish to complement your favorite steak, chicken or fish.
What Are Fondant Potatoes?
Fondant potatoes, also called (pommes de terre fondantes), is a French side dish. In this dish, potatoes are cut into cylinders, then pan-fried on both sides and roasted in the oven in a stock and butter sauce. The result is a flavorful potato that is crispy and brown on the outside but creamy and tender on the inside.
The Perfect Side Dish
Fondant potatoes are oven-braised in a buttery, thyme-flavored sauce. The result of this old-school method? Golden brown potatoes with a crispy crust that remains rich and creamy on the insides.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make fondant potatoes:
- Potato type: All-rounder and floury/starchy potatoes are best because they absorb flavor better than waxy potatoes and become beautifully fluffy and soft inside. Common potatoes at regular stores should be fine.
- Butter: Unsalted, cut into cubes so they melt evenly. If you don’t, some of the butter will likely burn before it all melts. This is for basting. We use oil for searing the potatoes (butter burns and doesn’t brown the potatoes as evenly).
- Stock/broth: Chicken/beef stock adds the best flavor in my opinion.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme works best to infuse the butter/stock with flavor. But you can substitute with dried thyme.
Can You Make Fondant Potatoes Ahead of Time?
Sort of. You can pan-fry the potatoes ahead of time as well as baste them with butter and thyme. But you should stop after the butter begins to foam. Let the skillet cool completely, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for a day.
When you’re ready to serve: Just add the stock and roast the potatoes in the oven as directed.
How to Store Fondant Potatoes
Fondant potatoes are best enjoyed the day of. But, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for not more than three days. Reheat them in the oven with more stock — but be prepared for less crispy and creamy potatoes.
What Do Fondant Potatoes Taste Like?
Fondant potatoes are the epitome of comfort food with a gourmet twist. The exterior is crispy and golden brown, providing a satisfying crunch with every bite. Inside, they are rich and creamy, absorbing the flavors of butter and thyme. The stock used in the braising process infuses the potatoes with a savory depth, giving each bite a burst of deliciousness.
Why Are They Called Fondant Potatoes?
The term “fondant” in culinary terms refers to melting. Fondant potatoes are named for their meltingly tender interior, which contrasts beautifully with their crispy exterior. This melting quality is achieved by the unique cooking method that involves both pan-frying and oven-braising, allowing the potatoes to soak up the buttery, flavorful liquid.
How Do You Pronounce Fondant Potatoes?
Fondant potatoes are pronounced “fawn-dawn po-tay-toes.” The word “fondant” is French, and in this context, it emphasizes the melting texture of the dish.
Can I Reheat Fondant Potatoes?
Yes, you can reheat fondant potatoes, but be aware that they might not retain their original texture. To reheat, place them in an oven-safe dish and add a bit more stock or butter to keep them moist. Cover the dish with foil and heat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, approximately 15-20 minutes. While the exterior may not be as crispy as when freshly made, the potatoes will still be delicious and flavorful.
How to Cut Fondant Potatoes
For all methods, the first step is to peel the potatoes then trim a bit off the top and bottom so it stands upright. It just makes it easier to handle.
Pro-Level Carving
For knife masters! This method will achieve the smoothest edges.
Lie the potato on its side then carve, peeling curved strips to make a cylinder shape.
Keep going, carving thinner and thinner slices until you have a uniform cylinder.
Potato Peeler
Use a potato peeler to shave strips off the sides, rotating as you go, to shape it into a cylinder as best you can. I find this a little more difficult to make a uniform cylinder shape than using a knife because I find I have less control over how much I shave off with each peel. Also, peeling straight is a little harder.
Upright Knife Shaving
Stand the potato upright. Then cut thin slivers down, rotating as you go, until you have a cylinder shape with edges are as smooth as you can make them.
Round Cutter
Use a 6cm / 2.4″ (or as close as possible) cutter to pop rounds out. The easiest way to do this is to cut 3.5 cm / 1.4″ thick slices then press a round out of each. If your cutter is not tall enough, then use a knife to help trim/pull the excess away.
What to Serve With Fondant Potatoes
These golden fondant potatoes are a fantastic side dish to complement your favorite steak, chicken or fish.
Fondant Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 large potatoes
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable spice
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp BBQ spice
- 1 tbsp 6 gun spice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tube beef stock
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and shape them with a cooky cutter.
- Heat a frying pan and add oil and butter.
- When the oil is nice and hot, add the potatoes and cook for a couple of minutes before turning.
- They should be nicely coloured on one side and lightly browned on the other.
- Now make sure the more coloured side is facing up and add the thyme.
- Add the beef stock mixture to the frying pan so it only comes halfway up the potatoes.
- Put the frying pan on the middle shelf of your preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes to soak up the lovely stock.
- Make sure they're cooked through and serve straight away with a nice steak/chicken/fish.
