Potatoes are dressed with a smooth rich crème fraîche sauce with fresh chopped herbs and a bit of grated lemon zest.
Potatoes aren't new, they aren't trendy, and they don’t garner much attention. The humble little potato as it’s often referred to is the soft-spoken cast member of the "vegetable play," playing the supporting role but never the star. It’s relegated to side dishes where it’s mashed beyond recognition, stuffed with loads of cheese, butter and vegetables or drowned out by bolder flavors in a myriad of other preparations.
One of the most omnipresent and abundant of vegetables, the potato is the essence of simplicity. Which leads me to ask - why is something so splendidly simple not enough? Why drown the potato in things that will mask its true flavor?
If you have good potatoes, like creamy little new potatoes or fingerling potatoes, sometimes the best way to eat them is to steam or boil them and serve them simply.
Growing up, my family would make a meal of potatoes. We would boil small new potatoes in their skins and serve them with butter and parsley or crème fraîche and chives, and if we were feeling particularly indulgent, maybe a little grated Parmesan. There's a great sense of pleasure in the known and anticipated taste of preparing potatoes in this manner that I urge you not to dismiss it because of its simplicity.
The French call potatoes prepared in this manner “pommes de terre en robe des champs,” which refers to potatoes prepared with their skins on, but literally translates to “potatoes in a dress of the fields.” It’s also sometimes referred to as “pommes de terre en robe de chambre” which is most likely a perversion of the first saying but one I find quite charming as it translates to “potatoes in their bathrobes” which I think is a lovely way to describe potatoes.
Oddly enough, although they are prepared and served with the skin on, the French don’t eat the skins and will slip them off before consuming the potatoes. I offer this recipe in the spirit of elevating the overlooked to a more prominent role. Warm creamy potatoes are dressed with smooth rich crème fraîche, fresh chopped herbs and lightly perfumed with a bit of grated lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Potatoes With Crème Fraîche Sauce
Potatoes are dressed with a smooth rich crème fraîche sauce with fresh chopped herbs and a bit of grated lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds/1kg small new potatoes or small fingerling potatoes, washed and well scrubbed
- ¼ cup/56g crème fraîche
- 1 TB/15ml fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1 TB/15ml olive oil
- 1 TB minced chives
- 1 TB finely chopped parsley leaves
- Fleur de sel, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on their size (test doneness with a fork).
- When the potatoes are done, drain all the water and let them sit in the pot for five minutes to steam and dry.
- Whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, parsley and chives in a small bowl until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss potatoes with the crème fraiche mixture and serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 93Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Amber | Bluebonnets & Brownies says
Sylvie, I'm loving this as a side dish for a roast dinner. It's just so beautiful!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Oh Sylvie, I'm always amazed at your artful photography. Lessons please?
This potatoes are simple and delicious looking. I found it really interesting that the French cook potatoes with the skins on, then take them off before eating.
El says
The potato photos and recipe are gorgeous. Amazing work.
Amelia from Z Tasty Life says
I was JUST reading about potatoes, and how when they were first imported from the new world (the Americas) to Europe they had a very bad acceptance, but then how they finally took ahold because of how filling and satisfying they were, and easy to grow, especially during times of deep hunger. They are indeed a wonderful and versatile starch. I like the punch that fresh herbs impart, like in your recipe, to contrast their warm, mealy flavor.
Maris (In Good Taste) says
These pictures are absolutely gorgeous!Like hang up and frame gorgeous! I have bookmarked this recipe
SMITH BITES says
Just beautiful Sylvie - and yes, I'll take creme fraiche sauce w/my potatoes any day!!!
Jamie says
Absolutely agree on all points! And as an American with a French husband, we are always in disagreement about whether or not one eats the skin (me! yes!) or not (him, of course!). But one thing we agree on is the goodness of the potato cooked and served simply exactly as you have presented here. In fact, this past weekend we were visiting (French) friends and they were poaching fish. They asked my husband to make his "special" potato dish that he had served them once at our own home: potatoes boiled, peeled then served in butter and parsley!
Julie M. says
What a gorgeous shot! You most definitely have me craving potatoes now. I honestly love potatoes in all shapes and forms. You are so right that we over do them most of the time. This simple yet elegant dish really brings out the beauty of potatoes.
Maria @ Scandifoodie says
Gorgeous photos! Potatoes have always been trendy in my part of the world 😉 This sounds like a perfect dish to me!
mycookinghut says
Sylvie,
Thanks for the fantastic guest post! It's been a pleasure to know you and the photos are stunning!
Sylvie says
Thank you for asking me 🙂