French Fries and Ice Cream
Ingredients:
Ice Cream
- 1/2 pound Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 each vanilla bean, split
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Potato Leek Soup
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 bunch each leeks, white part only, rough cut and well washed
- 3 each Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" pieces, stored in cold water
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Salt to taste
Melted Leeks
- 2 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 ounce water
- 2 each large leeks, white only
- Salt to taste
Potato Tuiles
- 1 each Idaho® potato, large
- Oil as needed
- Salt as needed
Directions:
Ice Cream
- Place potatoes in large pot and cover with cold water to cover by 1". Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a soft boil and cook until fork tender. Strain using a colander and allow to air dry for 60 seconds.
- Puree through a food mill and set aside. Combine cream and milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy-clad saucepan. Scrape vanilla from the pod and add to the pot along with the bean itself. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- While heating, combine the egg and remaining sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until fluffy. Once cream mixture is hot, temper half of the contents into the mixing bowl and whisk vigorously. Pour back into the pot with the remaining cream mixture and cook over a low heat while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula. Once the mixture coats the back of the spoon, pour over the top of the reserved potato puree, strain through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt (seasoning should be closer to that of mashed potatoes than one would usually use for an ice cream). Cool over ice.
- Once chilled, place into an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove to freezer until needed.
- To assemble, remove ice cream from the freezer and temper if necessary. Place into a pastry bag without a pastry tip and pipe into the center of the potato tuiles. Return to freezer for 5 minutes. Place the reserved melted leeks into the center of a soup bowl and place the potato tuile with the ice cream on top. Pour the hot potato leek soup around the bowl and serve immediately.
Potato Leek Soup
- In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and slowly sweat until translucent.
- Remove potatoes from water and add to the leeks. Continue sweating until potatoes are translucent and add water. Bring to a boil over high heat and lower to a soft boil.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the cream and return to a boil. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Season to taste and reserve hot.
Melted Leeks
- Slice the leeks lengthwise and cut into thin pieces. Wash well and drain, then add to a heavy sauté pan with water and butter. Season with salt and cook over high heat until all of the water has evaporated. Adjust seasoning if necessary and reserve warm.
Potato Tuiles
- Heat oil in deep fryer to 250 degrees F. Prepare 2 sheets of aluminum foil 6 x 6 inches. Spray on both sides with vegetable oil and wrap around stainless steel cylinders 1" in diameter.
- Peel potato and cut into 3-inch uniform discs (reserve ends for soup). Using a vegetable sheeter, process potato into 1/16-inch thick sheets. Trim ends to uniform size, measure and slice to 7-inch pieces. Lay down three sheets side by side, place the cylinder on top and snugly roll potatoes around the cylinder. Repeat process with remaining potatoes.
- Place in basket for the deep fryer and fry until golden brown. Remove, season with salt and place on paper toweling. Once cool to the touch, carefully remove potato tuiles from the cylinder and keep on toweling in a warm place.