Chef’s tip for ultra-crispy potatoes with creamy middles – ‘easier than mash’

A chef has shared a method for making “Michelin-star-level” potatoes that are “arguably easier than making mash”. Jack Croft, who co-runs Fallow, Roe and FOWL restaurants in London with fellow chef Will Murray, shared the secret to fondant potatoes, cylinder slices that are “crispy on the outside, yet incredibly creamy and soft inside”.

Jack said n the Fallow YouTube channel: “These potatoes are so good, chefs don’t want you to know how easy they are to make.”

Opting for Yukon Golds, Jack explained as he peeled them that they would turn out “soft and creamy” with a “nice finish” on the fondant, but noted that the potatoes mustn’t fall apart during cooking — and that Yukon Golds “hold up” well.

He said: “Fondant potato sounds very cheffy. You know, you might see it in high-end restaurants, but actually, the bare bones of it is probably one of the simpler potatoes. You know, I’d say it’s arguably easier than making mash or something like that.”

Unlike other potatoes, Jack didn’t wash away the starch. Instead, he sliced off the tops and bottoms so they were flat on both sides, recommending pieces slightly more than an inch thick.

He used a biscuit cutter-type utensil to create circular pieces and then peeled the edges to smooth them out and give them a “cheffy finish”, adding that if you have brittle edges, it will overcook and “become mushy”.

Jack then seared the potatoes in a hot pan until they developed a “nice golden colour”, making sure to flip them so both sides browned evenly. He then added a couple of teaspoons of butter to deepen the colour even further.

He proceeded to add a further generous portion of butter, a few slices of garlic, sprigs of thyme, and beef stock. Jack then advised giving them a “little emulsify” and moved the pan in a circular motion.

At this point, turn the heat down, cover the pan with a lid and transfer it to the oven at 180 degrees for an initial 10 minutes. Once that time was up, Jack basted the potatoes with the mixture in the pan.

He explained that a knife or a spoon should be able to pass through the potatoes. Jack then put them back in the oven for a further 15 minutes and then brought them out to check again.

Jack observed that they needed another five to 10 minutes and, flipping them, returned them to the oven for a final time, bringing the total time cooked to about 35 minutes.

Finally, Jack set about the task of finishing the sauce and seasoning “them up”. He placed the potatoes on a plate and then removed the thyme and garlic from the pan, leaving the glaze.

He put it on a low heat and seasoned the mixture with a dash of salt and pepper. Jack said you should “reduce the sauce slightly” and then glazed the potatoes with the sauce, sprinkling some chives on top for presentation.