Bistro Pierre Lapin is an all-day French café from co-owners Harold Moore and Julia Grossman. In describing their eatery, Moore says, "We're trying to make the most excellent French grandmother's restaurant."
One of the side dishes featured on the menu is pommes aligot, a classic French dish of cheesy whipped potatoes that produces the ultimate cheese pull. Moore says that they are best made with leftover pommes purée (a.k.a. mashed potatoes), and are a great side for entertaining or just using leftover food. Bistro Pierre Lapin's pommes purée are made with 60% Idaho potatoes and 40% Yukon Gold potatoes to yield just the right starch content. In addition to the cheese—Moore uses Gruyère—pommes aligot should also have notes of garlic in the background. You can use roasted or raw garlic, but Moore prefers garlic oil. "The trick with the aligot potatoes is you have to eat it right away because once it cools down it becomes cold melted cheese."
Get the recipe and watch how it's made below.
Pommes Aligot
Recipe courtesy of Chef Harold Moore, Bistro Pierre Lapin, New York CityIngredients
1 1/2 cups potato purée, chilled
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon garlic oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
Fine sea salt, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Method
1. Put the cool potato purée in a medium-sized sauce pot and slowly start bringing the potatoes up to temperature.
2. Add the heavy cream and garlic oil and stir to combine.
3. Increase the temperature to high heat and stir until the mixture is hot but still a bit lumpy.
4. Add the stock and continue to stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
5. Add in the cheese and beat the cheese into the potatoes with a large spoon until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will become completely smooth and stretchy.
6. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Photos by Aaron Hutcherson.
