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Fondant Potatoes

My fondant potatoes are oven-braised in butter and thyme until golden and crisp on the outside and tender and creamy inside. They make an elegant French potato side dish for roast chicken, beef, or fish.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 people
Calories 2020 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy Oven-Proof Skillet Essential for searing and oven-braising
  • 1 Sharp Chef's Knife For precise potato preparation
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Large Bowl For soaking potatoes
  • 1 Tongs For handling hot potatoes and blotting oil

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 3 large whole russet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons high-heat-resistant vegetable oil such as grapeseed oil
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 sprigs thyme plus more for garnish
  • ½ cup chicken broth or more as needed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Cut off ends of russet potatoes. Stand potatoes on end, and peel them from top to bottom with a sharp knife to make each potato into a uniform cylinder. Cut each cylinder in half crosswise to make 6 potato cylinders about 2 inches long. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Place potatoes into a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes to remove starch from the outsides. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Heat vegetable oil in a heavy oven-proof skillet over high heat until it shimmers slightly.
  • Pat dry potatoes with paper towels. Place potato cylinders with the best-looking ends into the hot oil. Reduce heat to medium-high, and pan-fry potatoes until well-browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Flip potatoes and repeat on the other ends. As they cook, use a paper towel held with tongs to carefully blot out the oil from the skillet. Add butter and thyme sprigs to the skillet.
  • Pick up a thyme sprig with tongs and use it to paint butter over the top of the potatoes. Cook until butter foams and foam turns from white to a pale tan color. Season with more salt and pepper. Pour chicken stock into skillet. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook until potatoes are tender and creamy inside, about 30 minutes. If potatoes aren't tender, add 1/4 cup more stock and cook for 10 more minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Place potatoes on a serving platter. Spoon thyme-scented butter remaining in skillet over potatoes. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Notes

Achieving uniform potato cylinders is paramount for even cooking and elegant presentation. Soaking potatoes briefly helps remove surface starch, contributing to a crisper exterior. Ensure the skillet is adequately hot before adding potatoes for a deep, golden crust. Don't rush the searing phase. When basting with butter, aim for a 'beurre noisette' (nut-brown butter) stage to develop rich, nutty flavors. High-quality chicken stock will significantly enhance the final taste. Consider finishing with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper before serving for an extra layer of flavor and texture.