Potatoes Souffle

My first encounter with potatoes soufflé was at Arnaud’s in the heart of the French Quarter, and it was nothing short of mesmerizing. Those impossibly light, crisp, and dramatically puffed potatoes were culinary magic on a plate. To this day, whenever I find myself in New Orleans, lunch at Arnaud’s is non-negotiable, in no small part because of them.

Growing up, French fries came with exactly one condiment – ketchup. That was simply the rule. It wasn’t until much later this pairing with béarnaise sauce opened my eyes to an entirely new and delicious world. From there, it was a short and inevitable slide into mayonnaise and a full embrace of classic French and European flavors.

Unable to visit New Orleans as often as I’d like, those cravings eventually became too strong to ignore. I knew I had to learn how to make soufflé potatoes at home. Fair warning: this is not an easy recipe. But the reward—watching those thin slices miraculously balloon into crisp, golden perfection—makes every careful step worthwhile.

Secrets of Pommes Souffle – What the Cookbooks Don’t Tell You

Regardless how carefully you follow instruction it is important to know that like popcorn kernels, not every slice will completely puff. So, don’t be discouraged and plan on making extra!

• Use russets that have set awhile and are no longer rock-hard. Ideally they will just be a few days from budding out. New, fresh potatoes have too much moisture to puff properly
• Thickness is critical – exactly 1/8^th inch
• Soak briefly in ice water, then dry the potatoes carefully before placing them in hot oil. Moisture will immediately lower the oil temperature
• Maintaining the correct oil temperature is critical. If the oil is too cool, the potatoes will be greasy; if it is too hot, they will burn quickly
• Frying in small batches helps keep the oil temperature from dropping too much and ensures even cooking.

Reasons Your Soufflé Potatoes Didn’t Puff

• Uneven Slice Thickness: Using a knife instead of a mandoline causes uneven, inconsistent thicknesses, which prevents the crust from sealing properly
• Incorrect Oil Temperatures: Use a deep fryer that will heat oil to 400 degrees. A pot of oil over a burner is impossible to maintain stable control of temperature. Use an instant-read thermometer to verify oil temp
• First Fry too Hot, or for too Long: If the first fry is too hot, the outside hardens and prevents puffing later
• Second Fry too Cool: The second fry must be hot enough, between 375-380 to turn inner moisture into steam and puff the potatoes instantly
• Excess Surface Moisture: The potatoes must be dried thoroughly after washing and before frying. Even a little water causes the oil temperature to drop.
• Failure to “Blister” in First Bath: The potatoes must develop a light blistered skin in the first bath, then be removed to cool before the second fry
• Overcrowding the Basket: Too many potatoes at once drops the oil temperature, preventing the necessary instant flash-puff

Potatoes Souffle Step-By-Step

Peel, slice and trim the potatoes to size, soak in ice-water and dry on a kitchen towel with paper towels.

Place a few slices in a basket and drop into the hot oil. Gently move the basket as they fry to promote even cooking and strain them out when they lightly blister and brown.

After the first fry the blisters should deflate and let them rest to cool completely. While waiting raise the oil temp to 380 and make your bearnaise sauce.

When ready, load the basket with 6-8 potato slices and immerse in the oil. The slices that are going to puff will inflate immediately, but continue to fry for about 2 minutes, until fully crisped and will hold their shape.

Season with fine salt and serve immediately with bearnaise sauce.

Print