Pommes de Terre Anna (Anna Potatoes)

Crispy golden outside and rich buttery and creamy on the inside Anna potatoes are a classic French dish.

We used to make and serve dozens of portions everyday at The Whitewell Hotel in the 1970’s and in the 1980’s they became a daily addition to the menu at the Great Tree Hotel. And when I first served them to Lord and Lady Hanson they became really passionate about them for dinner parties.

We just love this dish but have to limit ourselves to only cooking them 2 or 3 times a year now because of all the butter, I have tried other fats but none come near to that intense buttery flavour.

Serves / Makes:         6 servings

Prep-Time:                 10 to 15 minutes

Cook-Time:                30 to 40 minutes

You Will Need

900 grams, potatoes, I like to use a Charlotte or Nicola as they are a nice small waxy varieties

340 grams, butter

1 pinch, Salt to taste

1 pinch, pepper to taste

Method

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin round slices, wash them thoroughly in cold water to take out the starch and dry them with a cloth and make sure that they are well dried.

Put some butter into a casserole or sauté pan and arrange the potatoes in layers overlapping each other, reversing the overlapping with each layer, when at the Whitewell Hotel we used to serve them in individual pots turned out onto the plate.

Dot each layer with butter and sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook in a hot oven 425°F/220°C/Gasmark 8. For between 30 and 40 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Pour off the excess butter before serving, I like to turn the potatoes onto a platter for serving the potatoes ought to be rich, golden, and crisp on the outside with a creamy buttery centre.

Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

Pommes de Terre Anna or Anna potatoes is made up of sliced, layered potatoes cooked in melted butter. The recipe calls for firm-fleshed potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper and only, and I only add the pepper after cooking pepper does tend to go a little bitter when cooked.

Small pudding basins like these are great for individual portions

Related articles

• 5 Christmas Side Dish Recipes (mademan.com)
• Simple Potato Dish (mamasbagoftricks.blogspot.com)
• 5 Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Christmas (mademan.com)

John & Maureen Glen Tags: food, recipe, Christmas, Cooking, Whitewell Hotel, the Great Tree Hotel, Lord Hanson, Lady Hanson, French Classics

Aïoli (Garlic Mayonnaise)

Probably the most famous garlic sauce of all is Aioli, the golden garlic mayonnaise of Provence. So celebrated is this versatile French sauce that certain days are set aside in many villages for feasts that last from noon until after sundown as platters of vegetables, fish, hard-cooked eggs and bread are carried in for dipping up the smooth, garlicky delight.
Aioli packs a powerful punch, and makes a perfect partner to all manner of things, apart from vampires, that is!

Serves: 6
Time: 15 minutes

You Will Need
8 garlic cloves, use a nice large size
½-teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
150 mls extra virgin olive oil
2 large egg yolks
1-tablespoon lemon juice, you can use up to 2 tablespoons.

Method:

In a large pestle and mortar, pound together the garlic, salt and pepper until smooth, adding a little olive oil from time to time to moisten the mixture.
Once the mixture has formed a smooth paste, add the egg yolks and pound again until they are completely combined into the garlic mix.
Slowly add the remaining olive oil, as if making mayonnaise, until the emulsion is thick and smooth.
Beat in the lemon juice to taste and use as desired.

In France, aioli is traditionally served with seafood, fish soup, and croutons. It is usually served at room temperature. The name aioli (alhòli) comes from Provençal alh 'garlic' (Latin allium) + òli 'oil' (Latin oleum).

Aioli (Blender Recipe)

Probably the most famous garlic sauce of all is Aioli, the golden garlic mayonnaise of Provence. So celebrated is this versatile French sauce that certain days are set aside in many villages for feasts that last from noon until after sundown as platters of vegetables, fish, hard-cooked eggs and bread are carried in for dipping up the smooth, garlicky delight.
Aioli packs a powerful punch, and makes a perfect partner to all manner of things, apart from vampires, that is!

Serves: 6
Time: 15 minutes

You Will Need

Four Cloves Garlic, I use the largest cloves I can find
2 Large Egg Yolks
1 Teaspoon Dry Mustard
¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
1 Cup Olive Oil
1 ½ Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Method:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature
Peel the garlic, and combine the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender.
Cover and blend at medium speed until smooth, with the blender running, remove the cover or the little additions cover and slowly pour in half the oil in a steady stream.
Stop the Blender and scrape down sides of jar
Cover and turn to medium speed, uncover and add the lemon juice, then the remaining oil in a slow stream as before, stopping the blender to scrape down sides occasionally as the sauce thickens.
Chill and serve.

To prepare the sauce with hand or electric mixer: use a narrow deep bowl (a one-quart glass measurer makes a good container, or use smaller bowl supplied with large electric mixer). Beat in the oil very slowly, especially at the beginning, being sure oil is completely blended before adding more. When thick, crush garlic cloves over sauce and mix well.

In France, aioli is traditionally served with seafood, fish soup, and croutons. It is usually served at room temperature. The name aioli (alhòli) comes from Provençal alh 'garlic' (Latin allium) + òli 'oil' (Latin oleum).

Herbes de Provence (Provençal herbs)

Provençal cuisine has by tradition used many herbs, which were often considered collectively as "Herbes de Provence", but not in any exacting recipes, and not sold as a blend. Herbes de Provence can be different in content and quantity, more often than not the blend will comprise thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, savory, and basil. You can prepare your own blend using these herbs alongside with other quantities of aromatic herbs as lavender, fennel seeds and sage all depending on your personal taste, I personally like a little lavender added to the blend.

Herbes de Provence are for the most part used to flavour grilled foods such as fish and meat, as well as vegetable stews. The blend can be added to foods before or during cooking or mixed with cooking oil prior to cooking so as to infuse the flavour into the cooked food. They are rarely added after cooking is complete, Put the herbs in a jar with a screw top lid and shake together

Serves: Quite a few, though this blend makes about 1/3 cup of herb mix

Time: Only you can tell me that

You Will Need

1 tablespoon, thyme

1 tablespoon, chervil

1 tablespoon, rosemary

1 tablespoon, summer savory

1 teaspoon, lavender

1 teaspoon, tarragon

1 teaspoon, marjoram

½ teaspoon, oregano

½ teaspoon, mint

2 powdered or chopped bay leaves

Method:

Mix together all of the ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container.

Makes about 1/3 cup herb mix.