Recipe By: “Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 2” Child/Beck
Preparation Time: 1:00 # of Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 pounds boiling potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk — heated
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh basil — minced
2 cloves garlic — mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch white pepper
4 tablespoons butter — softened
3 tablespoons fresh parsley — minced
Directions:
Peel the potatoes. Cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick (about 7 cups). Drop them into a large saucepan of boiling water, bring rapidly back to the boil again, and boil for 3 minutes. Drain immediately.
Make a white roux as follows: Melt the butter in a saucepan, blend in the flour, and stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes to cook the four without browning. Remove from heat, and when roux has stopped bubbling, vigorously blend in all of the hot milk at once with a wire ship, beating until mixture is perfectly smooth. Blend in the 3/4 cup of cream, the herb, garlic, salt and pepper. Return over moderately high heat, stirring with whip as sauce thickens very lightly and comes to the boil. Simmer 2 minutes, then fold in the potatoes. Sauce should just cover potatoes; add a little more cream or milk if necessary. Bring to simmer, correct seasoning, cover pan, and simmer very slowly for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir up gently from bottom once or twice to be suer potatoes are not sticking; they will have absorbed half of the liquid before they are done and if sauce seems too thick you may always add a little more milk.
*May be completed in advance to this point. Spoon a little milk or cream over top of potatoes and either set aside uncovered or keep warm, partially covered, in a pan of simmering water.
Reheat potatoes just before serving. Carefully correct seasoning. Gently fold in the butter and 2/3 of the herbs with a rubber spatula. Turn into vegetable dish, decorate with the remaining herbs, and serve at once.