Pont-Neuf potato terrine fries
Units
Servings
Ingredients
Potato terrine
- 2 kg floury potatoes, Agria or Russet rounded
- 20 g fine salt rounded
- 50 g cornflour rounded
- 180 g clarified butter rounded
- 180 g rendered beef fat rounded
- 2 L neutral frying oil rounded
- 160 g thick-cut streaky bacon, cut into small lardons rounded
Liquid cheese sauce
- 250 ml double cream rounded
- 50 ml water rounded
- 125 g egg yolks rounded
- 75 g whole egg rounded
- 200 g Red Leicester, finely grated rounded
- 75 g American cheese slices rounded
- 5 g smoked paprika rounded
- 5 g Dijon mustard rounded
- 2 g fine salt rounded
Method
Method
- Line the dish with baking paper. Slice the potatoes 2 mm thick and layer them tightly, overlapping to leave no gaps. Dust each layer very lightly with cornflour and salt.
- Melt the clarified butter with the beef fat. Pierce the finished terrine all over to the base with a skewer, then pour the hot fat evenly over it.
- Cover with baking paper and a close-fitting tray. Bake at 140°C for 2 to 2½ hours, until the edges caramelise and a knife meets no resistance.
- Put a heavy, evenly distributed weight on top. Cool, then refrigerate under weight overnight.
- For the sauce, whisk cream, water, yolks, and egg in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water until 75°C. Lower the heat; whisk in both cheeses until smooth, then season with paprika, Dijon, and salt. Keep warm, not hot.
- Fry the bacon until crisp; drain and reserve.
- Turn out the cold terrine, trim the edges, and cut into 15 mm square batons 7 cm long.
- Heat oil to 180°C in a deep pot no more than half full. Fry in batches until crisp and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, salt, top with bacon, and serve with the cheese sauce.
Notes
- The overnight press is essential; warm or loosely pressed layers break in the fryer.
- The cheese sauce contains lightly cooked egg. Hold it above 60°C for service and discard after two hours at room temperature.
- For an all-beef-fat flavour, fry in beef dripping; neutral oil is easier and cleaner at home.
- Keep water away from hot oil and never fill the pot more than halfway.