Melted Potatoes

Geert Van der Bruggen in the summer issue of Velt's De seizoenen (The seasons) says that these melted potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to any meat or fish dish. I already had some broth, used less butter and cooked up a much simpler version.

Melted potatoes

By Geert Van der Bruggen, in: Velt zine De seizoenen, No. 4, 2010, p. 22.

Serves 4

12 medium potatoes (firmly cooking, e.g. Nicola)
200 g butter
fresh tarragon, chervil, parsley and chives
pepper, salt

Vegetable broth ingredients:
3 leek, 6 shallots, 6 cloves of garlic, 2 bay leaves, a few sage leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, sprig of rosemary, 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper corns, salt

Here are Vander Bruggen's directions, but do consult my variation on that in Notes: cut the veggies for the broth, use only white part of leeks, add water, add the herbs and spices, and cook for an hour. Put through a sieve.

Preheat oven at 110 °C.

Peel potatoes and cut them in cilinder shape. Put them erect in a pan, and add a few knobs of butter. Then add broth so the potatoes are half immersed. Season with peper and salt. Bring to a boil, then transfer to the oven to stew for about an hour. Here the potatoes will absorb the broth. Remove from the oven, keep warm. Transfer the liquid to the stove and reduce it. Finish with some chopped herbs, then add the potatoes.

Notes:
The hour oven-baking for these potatoes at 110 °C standing erect in liquid doesn't get them properly cooked. A much simpler version is this: melt butter in a pan, add peeled potatoes, add home-made broth until they're half submersed. Let cook over low heat until the potatoes are done. I didn't bother with shaping them. Too much hassle, too much waste.