These days, apparently, perfectly whirled peaks of pommes duchesse can be bought frozen, and even the Women's Weekly, as far back as 1970, instructed cooks form their potatoes into little peaks by putting their potato paste in a piping bag with a star tube and piping small pyramids onto greased baking paper. I followed an earlier French recipe from Boulestin where the potato paste is placed on a board and cut into even-sized squares, but my paste proved resistant to shaping so, in the end, I dolloped it onto the baking sheet. Was it worth the effort? Not really. I prefer potatoes mashed with butter and cream.Crumbed Lamb Cutlets
3 French-cut lamb cutlets per person
1-2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper
1 egg white, beaten, with a little water added
fresh breadcrumbs
oil for frying
lemon wedges
Sift flour, salt and pepper into bag containing cutlets; shake gently to dust evenly. Dip each cutlet into beaten egg, brush off excess; coat with breadcrumbs. When all cutlets are crumbed, refrigerate until ready to cook.
Pommes de Terre Duchesse
large floury potatoes, such as Dutch Cream
egg yolks
salt, pepper, nutmeg
Wash, scrub and cook in their skins some large floury potatoes. When cooked, peel and mash them and add the egg yolks (one yolk to every 250g potatoes); mixing well. Add a little butter and work the mixture well; season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Put this mixture on a floured board and let it cool. Cut into equal-sized squares, paint these with the yolk of an egg (or melted butter); and bake until browned on top in a hot oven - about 10 minutes. While the potatoes are browning, put some peas on to boil and cook the cutlets.
In a shallow pan, heat oil and fry the cutlets until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side for slightly pink, turning once. Serve with potatoes and peas and lemon wedges.
