Lyonnaise Potatoes Recipe

The French meal known as “Lyonnaise potatoes” consists of sliced pan-fried potatoes and thinly sliced onions cooked in butter with parsley. The French city of Lyon inspired the term “Lyonnaise,” which means “from Lyon” or “Lyonnaise-style.”

With its buttery-crisp potatoes, meltingly soft onions, and fresh parsley that adds a vibrant pop of color, it is as easy to make as it is delicious.

The kind of potatoes used and how they are cooked will determine how well the dish turns out. Yukon gold is the best option if you’re resident in the United States just like me. When cooked, they produce a buttery flavor, a creamy interior, and somewhat crunchy exteriors, performing far better than fluffy russets. Russets had the crispiest crusts, but their mild flavor lagged behind.

Typically, whole potatoes are cooked skin-on in boiling water before being sliced and pan-fried to make Lyonnaise potatoes. While this method ensures that the potatoes cook thoroughly without becoming soggy and disintegrating, it takes some time to boil whole potatoes until they are cooked.

This led me into trying out various techniques of cooking pre-sliced potatoes without altering my recipe and also maintaining the potatoes structural integrity.

In one attempt, I tried boiling the sliced potatoes from raw in the pan as a less time-consuming option, but all it resulted in was an irregularly cooked batch of potatoes that were half-underdone and half-mush. I discovered that it is crucial to par-cook. Then, in an effort to soften and gelatinize the potato slices’ starch, I tried microwaving them. It worked well, yielding pliable potato rounds, but they lacked seasoning (sprinkling salt on them periodically during the procedure wasn’t enough; it failed to permeate the potato flesh, producing bland results overall).

In another test, I prepared potato hash using Kenji’s method by boiling the potatoes in salted vinegar water. By adding salt to the water, the seasoning objectives were successfully met, and the potato slices were well salted. The addition of vinegar, on the other hand, makes the water slightly acidic, enabling the potatoes to tenderize while lowering the likelihood that they will crumble (the acid strengthens the pectin that holds the potato cells together) and gives each slice a starchy outer layer that crisps up more effectively when fried.The best method was this one because it produced moist, flavorful potato slices that would maintain their shape throughout the rest of the cooking procedure.

The recipe calls for frying the potatoes in more fat than you might think is necessary. In addition to the fact that fat enhances the flavor of food, you need a sufficient amount to guarantee that the par-cooked potatoes come into direct contact with the skillet’s heat and brown evenly. You’ll get crisp, crusty, golden slices if you sear the potatoes on all sides and resist the impulse to move them until they’re completely cooked.

While the potatoes simmer, you cook softened, browned onions for the dish’s finishing touch. Once the onions are done, transfer them to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley. This is simple typical French cuisine that tastes great when served with roasted sausage, a wedge of soft cheese, and a crusty baguette.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons melted homemade or store-bought clarified butter, divided
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, for garnish

Directions

1. Cover the potatoes with 1 inch of cold water in a big pot (about 2 quarts; 1.9L). Add salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until potatoes are just beginning to provide some resistance when pierced with a paring knife. Drain the potatoes, then set them aside.
2. In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of clarified butter over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, nonstick skillet, or stainless steel sauté pan or skillet until shimmering. Add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring periodically, until the onion is tender and gently browned. Scrape up any browned bits from the skillet’s bottom, then add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Place the onions in a small heat-resistant bowl and put aside.
3. Now that the skillet is empty, add 2 tablespoons of clarified butter and heat until shimmering. Add half of the drained potatoes in a single, even layer and cook, without stirring, for about 3 minutes, until bottom is golden brown. If necessary, adjust heat to prevent scorching. Potatoes should be flipped using an offset or thin metal spatula and cooked for a further 3 minutes or until the second side is golden brown and the potatoes are totally soft, exhibiting little to no resistance when pierced with a paring knife. Put the potatoes and onions in a bowl and set it aside.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of clarified butter into the skillet which is now empty and repeat the process with the remaining batches of potatoes.
5. Return reserved potatoes and onions to skillet, toss to combine, and cook for 1 minute, or until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: To give the potatoes rich, clean, buttery notes, I use clarified butter, which has had its water content removed to raise its smoke point. Regular unsalted butter can be substituted for clarified butter, but you should be careful not to burn the milk proteins by cooking it at too high of a temperature.