Day 10 and we’ve entered my College Cooking Course era. Two types of potato dishes I learned whilst studying Professional Cookery, ones that really stuck with me at least, were Straw Potatoes (thin strips of potatoes, fried) and Pomme Arlie (the French, classical name for what is essentially Twice-Baked-Potatoes).
Then I moved to France and found a ready availability of the greatest cheese in history (in my opinion anyway): Tomme cheese. It’s a sheep cheese which creates a lovely stringy texture in mashed potatoes and is used in heavy quantities in Aligot– another beautiful and simple French dish I believe to be from Southern France (at least that’s what the people in Southern France had me believe when visiting). So when I realised I could combine Aligot and Pomme Arlie– and that I could make a pun/have a bit of word play fun whilst doing so– I knew it had to be done. Thus Tomme Arlie was born. I don’t have them often as they’re full of fat and loveliness but for special occasions like birthdays and holidays, why not?
Seasoned Straw Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 2 Medium Chipping Potatoes
- 2tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1tsp Cumin Powder
- 1tsp Coriander Powder
- ½tsp Chilli Flakes, or to taste
Method:
- Peel and wash potatoes.
- Cut into 0.2cm strips (can use a julienne cutter if you have one) and put into a bowl of cold water.
- Preheat a deep-fat fryer or deep pan filled with vegetable/sunflower oil to 190 degrees C.
- Dry your potatoes on kitchen roll or a clean tea towel. Pat all of the water off with more kitchen roll.
- Fry your potatoes in small batches until golden brown. Drain on a plate covered with more kitchen roll. Repeat with the rest of your potatoes.
- Season your straw potatoes with all of your spices, salt and pepper, moving them around to make sure they’re fully covered.
- Serve hot or cold and enjoy.
Tomme Arlie
Ingredients:
- 4 Medium Baking Potatoes
- 250ml Double Cream
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 200g Tomme or Raclette cheese, grated
Method:
- Set oven at 200 degrees C/Gas Mark 6.
- Wash potatoes and stab them a few times with a fork.
- Microwave them for 15-17 minutes until soft.
- In the meantime put the cream in a small pan and grate in the garlic. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and then switch off the heat. Leave for 10 mins for the garlic to infuse.
- Remove your potatoes from the microwave onto a baking tray. Leave until they are hand hot (a cooking colloquialism, meaning to wait until you can comfortably handle them, but not too cool that it’s completely cold).
- When your potatoes have reached the right temperature, cut them in half lengthways.
- With a spoon, scoop your potato into a large bowl, leaving the potato skins intact. You may need to leave a small strip of potato around the edges to keep the skins stable but don’t worry. As long as you have a large quantity of it out, it’ll be delicious.
- Start mashing your potato, adding cream slowly as you do. For really smooth mash use a potato ricer or push through a sieve with a spoon and add the cream slowly afterwards, stirring it through until completely mixed in.
- Add your grated cheese in small handfuls, stirring until all of the cheese has melted into your potato. Season to taste.
- Spoon your mashed potato back into the skins. Use a fork to create small spikes on top (or decorate as you fancy—if you’re feeling really chef-y, put into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle and pipe in).
- You can now leave these in your fridge until you’re ready to serve (can be made the night before and covered with cling-film). When you’re ready to serve heat the grill to high.
- Grill on high until it goes brown and slightly crispy on top. You can also bake these in a 200 degree C/Gas Mark 6 oven for 15 minutes to warm through, but expect some potato to run out (equally as delicious though).
- Enjoy. These are especially delicious with red wine or red wine sauces.
The Literary Onion 