Parisienne Potatos

[Marlene]

Tomorrow I'm cooking for a crowd. It's staff appreciation day for the teachers and we are putting on lunch snacks and stuff for them tomorrow. I'm making a roast pork, which I will cook at the school since I have to be there all day anyway. I would normally put roast potatoes around the roast, but that won't be enough for people, so I was thinking about those small parisienne potatoes.

Anyone got a good recipe for these?

[pixelchef]

Here ya go!

[Marlene]

Here ya go!

Thanks! My stove top access may or may not be limited. Can I do these in an oven?

[Suzanne F]

Are you sure you want to do those for a crowd? Larousse Gastronomique © 1961 says they're made like Noisette potatoes -- balls the size of large hazelnuts cut out of whole potatoes with a melon-baller, then fried in butter until golden -- only smaller, tossed with veal glace after cooking, and sprinkled with parsley. Escoffier says pretty much the same.

[Marlene]

Are you sure you want to do those for a crowd?  Larousse Gastronomique © 1961 says they're made like Noisette potatoes -- balls the size of large hazelnuts cut out of whole potatoes with a melon-baller, then fried in butter until golden -- only smaller, tossed with veal glace after cooking, and sprinkled with parsley.  Escoffier says pretty much the same.

The potatoes can be bought already balled. They are small enough that I can cook lots of them. I was thinking of something along the lines of butter, garlic EVOO and roasting them in one of those large tin foil roasters. No? Will this not work?

[Suzanne F]

Ah, well in that case, sure why not? You will have to give the baking pan a good shake from time to time or stir them occasionally, so the potatoes brown evenly and don't stick. Should work fine. Then just sprinkle with the minced parsley before plating or after putting in the chafer (if it's to be buffet service).

Although to be obnoxious, you can't really call them "a la parisienne" then, since they won't be made the "classic" (= Escoffier) way. Not with garlic, sans meat glaze, and roasted instead of fried. But I answer myself: so what?

[Life in the kitchen]

Although to be obnoxious, you can't really call them "a la parisienne" then, since they won't be made the "classic" (= Escoffier) way.  Not with garlic, sans meat glaze, and roasted instead of fried.  But I answer myself: so what?

[Marlene]

Ah, well in that case, sure why not?  You will have to give the baking pan a good shake from time to time or stir them occasionally, so the potatoes brown evenly and don't stick.  Should work fine.  Then just sprinkle with the minced parsley before plating or after putting in the chafer (if it's to be buffet service).

Although to be obnoxious, you can't really call them "a la parisienne" then, since they won't be made the "classic" (= Escoffier) way.    Not with garlic, sans meat glaze, and roasted instead of fried.  But I answer myself: so what? 

I suppose you're right. I just didn't know what else to call them. I suppose I could have said, you know, those little round potato thingys

Pixelchef's recipe looks great though. It's going on my list to try at home

[Life in the kitchen]

Perhapes

"Pommes Marlene"?

[Marlene]

Hey, I could start a whole new trend!

(where's Jaymes when I need her )

[Marlene]

So here's what I did. bought the small round potato thingys and threw them into a roasting pan with garlic butter and EVOO. Sprinkled a little parsley over top and roasted at 325 for 1 1/2 hours. Not true Pariesiene Potatoes true, but they were good!

[Suzanne F]

. . . but they were good!

That's all that matters.

[Jinmyo]

Marlene, I'm glad it turned out well.

I was wondering about those formed potatoes. I've walked past them but never picked them up. Was there anything on the package to indicate how discolouration is prevented?

[bushey]

Marlene, I'm also curious about the round potato thingys. Where do you find them?

[pixelchef]

I'm gonna guess Marlene found them at Loblaws. This is where I found 'em.

[Jinmyo]

So, pixelchef, how are they not discoloured?

[snowangel]

What kind of potatos are they?

[Marlene]

Actually, I got them at Bruno's a specialty store here in Oakville, but yes, I have seen them at Loblaws. At Brunos, they vacumn seal them so there is no discolouration!

[Jinmyo]

Hmm. Vacuum sealing would probably do it.

Do they do them at Bruno's? Is it their own instore brand?

If so, that must be better than the Big Melon Baller Machine thingee that does the Loblaws version.

[Hickory]

... how are they not discoloured?

I just got off the phone with the company that supplies Bruno's and was informed that the preservative used is Sodium Metabisulfite.

Brian

[Jinmyo]

... how are they not discoloured?

I just got off the phone with the company that supplies Bruno's and was informed that the preservative used is Sodium Metabisulfite.

Brian

Hm.

Synonyms: Pyrosulfurous acid, disodium salt; Sodium Pyrosulfite; Disodium Salt Pyrosulfurous Acid; Sodium disulfite; Disodium disulfite; Disulfurous acid, disodium salt, Na2O5S2.

Commonly used for postharvest decay control. A sanitizer, antioxidant, and bactericide.

Thanks, Hickory.

[Marlene]

... how are they not discoloured?

I just got off the phone with the company that supplies Bruno's and was informed that the preservative used is Sodium Metabisulfite.

Brian

Maybe that's true for some of their stuff, but I've watched them do these potatoes in front of me. They are fresh, and then vacumn sealed.