Loaded Fingerling Potatoes Recipe From Thirty Acres
Fingerlings get the welcome mat
When Kevin Pemoulie, the former chef de cuisine of Momofuku Noodle Bar, left New York City for Jersey City, he did so to open a quiet restaurant with his wife, Alex, who still works at Momofuku by day and with her husband at night. With the help of about $18,000 in Kickstarter seed money, the pair opened Thirty Acres. In this dish, Pemoulie confits sliced fingerling potatoes in duck fat (clarified butter works too). He then browns the potatoes with bacon until they're crisp. Sprinkled with chives and finished with a swell of crème fraîche, the dish announces Thirty Acres' presence loud and clear.
Advertisement
Recipe adapted from Kevin Pemoulie, Thirty Acres, Jersey City, NJ
Loaded Fingerling Potatoes
Loaded Fingerling Potatoes from Thirty Acres in Jersey City, NJ.
servings
4
Ingredients
- 10 sticks (2½ pounds) plus 1 tablespoon room temperature unsalted butter (or 4 cups duck fat), divided
- 1 pound fingerling potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide pieces
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth
- ¼ cup crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Directions
- Make the clarified butter: In a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-low heat, melt 10 sticks of the butter, spooning off and discarding the white foam that rises to the surface as the butter melts. (Skip this step if using duck fat.) 2. Once the butter is completely melted and all of the white foam has been skimmed off, increase the heat to medium and warm the clarified butter (or duck fat) until it is hot but not simmering. Add the potatoes, garlic, thyme and peppercorns. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until tender, never boiling the fat, for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and the bacon and cook, turning the pieces once midway through cooking, until the bacon becomes crisp on all sides, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to the skillet and cook until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Pour off the excess fat and add the chicken broth and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Divide among four plates, top each with some crème fraîche and chives and serve.