Lyonnaise Potatoes
"Lyonnaise" in French means in the style of the city of Leon.
In culinary terms, the term "Lyonnaise" means sautéed in a skillet with onion, garlic, parsley and perhaps a bit of wine. But saying "pommes de terre sautées aux oignons" is a mouthful. Lyonnaise Potatoes sounds so much more poetic.
This is a classic, rustic French dish that did indeed originate in the city of Lyon. The exact date of creation is not well documented, but the dish likely became popular in the late 1800s, fitting a broader trend of French cuisine that emphasized the use of local ingredients and simple cooking methods.
Any self-respecting steak house will offer Lyonnaise Potatoes. The trick to getting the potatoes crispy is to par-cook them beforehand, either by boiling them in water or roasting in the oven, and then having patience at the stovetop not to turn them too frequently over medium high heat.
Many recipes call for the onions to be removed from the pan before the potatoes are cooked, and then add them back to the dish at the end. I personally prefer to keep my onions in with the potatoes throughout the cooking process. I think it integrates the flavors more fully and gets the onions very brown, caramelized and crispy, adding depth and visual interest to the dish. Paprika also isn’t traditional, but is my addition to the recipe; just a light dusting adds to the visual appeal of the dish and just a hint of je ne sais quoi.
Lyonnaise Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3-4 large Russet Potatoes
- boiling, salted water
- 2 oz white vinegar
- 1 medium sweet onion (like Vidalia or Texas 1015)
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tsp fleur de sel finishing salt
- 4-5 grinds freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Wash, peel and slice the potatoes into 1/4" slices. If the potatoes are very large in diameter, cut them in half before slicing.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add the vinegar and then boil the potato slices for 5 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes through a colander and run cold water through them to stop the cooking process.
- Allow the potatoes to drain, then turn the slices out on dish towels or paper towels and pat them dry.
- Slice the onion into thin, round slices and separate into rings.
- Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Sauté the onion until the onions collapse and begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté a minute more.
- Add the potatoes to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Allow them to sauté gently, turning infrequently for 40-45 minutes until they become crispy and browned.
- Halfway through, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan.
- When the potatoes are almost done, sprinkle with the paprika.
- As the potatoes are done and ready to come out of the pan, add the parsley and fleur de sel.
- Turn out the potatoes on a platter with paper towels; they can rest in a 225°F oven, or be served right away.
