Pomme boulangère takes its name from French villages, where families would hand their dish of potatoes and onions to the baker so it could cook in his still-hot oven. Simon Lachapelle, winner of season 15 of Les Chefs! and former chef de cuisine at Montréal Plaza and Juliette Plaza, puts his name to a layered version, slow-cooked and served with a big spoonful of Riviera crème fraîche, the topping that elevates the dish with zero effort!
The secret? Never rinse the potatoes, so their starch binds the layers together, and be generous with the Riviera crème fraîche. And if there are leftovers, pan-fry them until golden the next day. Thanks, Simon, for the recipe!
Pomme Boulangère with Crème Fraîche
Cooking time: about 3 hours Resting time: at least 1 hour
Ingredients
- 8 Yukon Gold potatoes
- 500 ml (2 cups) white poultry stock
- 250 ml (1 cup) brown butter
- 250 ml (1 cup) melted onions (yellow onions, thyme, white wine and butter)
- 1 bunch of chives
- 1 tub (120 g) Riviera crème fraîche
Method
- Make the melted onions by slowly melting yellow onions in butter with thyme and white wine.
- Preheat the oven to 150 °C (300 °F).
- Make a brown butter, then mix it with the white poultry stock.
- Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes thinly. Do not rinse them, so they keep their starch.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper (the chef uses a cake pan). Start with a layer of potatoes, then brush it with the stock and butter mixture. Repeat with each layer.
- Every three layers, add a thin layer of melted onions. Keep going until the stack reaches about 7.5 cm (3 in) high.
- Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and set a weight on top before putting it in the oven.
- Bake for about 3 hours, or until the tip of a knife slides through the potatoes with no resistance.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 1 hour.
- Place a plate over the pan and flip the pomme boulangère in one swift motion.
- Cut into portions and serve hot, with a generous spoonful of Riviera crème fraîche and finely chopped chives. Optional: for an even more comforting version, spoon over a demi-glace-style sauce. Simon serves it with a lamb stock-based sauce.
Variations:
For a reheated portion: cut a slice and reheat it in the oven at 200 °C (400 °F) for 5 minutes.
For a crispy version (the one shown in the photos): leave the pomme boulangère in its pan in the fridge overnight, pressed under a weight (a few cans of maple syrup do the trick). It will then hold together like a loaf. Slice it. Melt a little butter in a skillet lined with parchment paper (a pro trick to keep it from sticking) over medium heat, then fry the slices until golden and very crispy.
