Crispy Potatoes With Onions and Chicken Fat

 

These potatoes are about as fussy as I get, but they’re worth it. Sort of a Pommes Anna derivative with flavors of a latke, the potatoes get sliced and layered between rings of onion, spoonfuls of chicken fat and plenty of cracked pepper. It can be hard to know when they’ll be browned on the bottom– a glass pie plate will help with that, but I still prefer the higher, structured sides of doing this in a cake pan. You can use a knife, but using a mandolin to get them perfectly even and just the right thickness will give you something much closer to the result you want.

YIELD — 6-8 servings

 

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

  • 1 medium yellow onion

  • ½ cup chicken fat or duck fat*, olive oil, or 1 stick / 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

  • Flaky salt, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line an 8” or 9” cake pan or pie plate with parchment paper (alternatively, use an 8” or 9” cast iron skillet); set aside. 

2. Using a mandolin if you have it (a sharp knife if you don’t), thinly slice potatoes (no need to peel them). Don’t measure or anything, but they should be about ⅛” thick. While you have it out, use the mandolin to thinly slice onions, too (a knife also works). 

3. Drizzle a little fat of your choosing onto the bottom of the pan and arrange potatoes in a concentric circle, overlapping slightly. If you were to also just scatter the potatoes in a thin, even layer, that would work too (no pattern required). 

4. Scatter a few slices of onion over the potatoes, drizzle with more melted fat and season everything with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining potatoes, onions and melted fat, gently pressing down and seasoning with salt and pepper as you make each layer, ending with a layer of potatoes and drizzle of fat. 

5. Place the pan of potatoes on a sheet pan to catch any drips and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through, 50–60 minutes. Loosen the foil, and, if you can stand it, place a dish towel on top and gently press the potatoes down as much as possible. This compresses them, ensuring even contact on the bottom and even thickness throughout. They’ll be hot, but the foil and towel will protect your hands (mostly). You can skip this step, too. 

6. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the potatoes are browned on the top and the bottom, another 30–35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before unmolding onto a serving plate, removing parchment, and topping with flaky salt. Slice into wedges. 

Notes

*Chicken fat is more widely available these days in grocery stores, but when in doubt, seek out a butcher shop who will almost always have it for sale (often in the frozen section). 

DO AHEAD: Potatoes can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped and refrigerated, reheated in a 425° oven for 15–20 minutes until once again hot and crispy.

newsletter, vegetablesAlison RomanComment