Until recently, I had never heard of Dutchess Potatoes. Certainly, my loss! These delightful mounds of potato goodness are delish to eat, festive to serve, oh so gorgeous to look at & not really all that hard to make! What a welcome surprise to my food repertoire.
But even more of a surprise is its history. In France in the 1700’s, potatoes were quite unpopular – the king of France actually forbade farmers from growing potatoes because they were believed to cause leprosy. Thankfully, potato advocates like Antoine-Augustin Parmentier (a scientist who understood the potential of potatoes to prevent famines) helped change how potatoes were viewed.
But despite Parmentier’s potato advocacy, the masses remained suspect. In order to win over the public’s trust, chefs began giving potato dishes royal names to instill legitimacy. And viola…Dutchess Potatoes was born!
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 lb potatoes (Yukon Gold is my fav…but any kind will work)
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 T unsalted butter
- 1/4 c heavy cream
- pinch ground nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon or less
- Salt & Pepper
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- Parmesan cheese, grated (for topping)
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel & cut potatoes into 1″ pieces. Put into a large pot & add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add a good amount of salt & the garlic cloves & bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain water & return potatoes & garlic to the hot pot. Over medium heat, continuously shake pan for a few minutes to evaporate any additional water.
Mash the potatoes & garlic using a potato masher or a potato ricer. Add 2 T butter, heavy cream, salt & pepper & mix until butter has melted. Stir in the egg yolks until just combined.
Transfer the potato mixture (in batches, if necessary) to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or put into a Ziplock bag & cut off end). Pipe the mashed potatoes in large, tall mounds onto the prepared baking sheet leaving about 2″ between each mound. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Place potatoes in the fridge for 20 min or more to keep them from flattening as they bake.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Bake for about 15 to 20 min or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven & serve immediately.
Recipe & Photo Cred: Duchess Potatoes (Make Ahead Side Dish) | Mom On Timeout