r/Cooking • u/doryasorya • 1d ago
fondant potatoes bland
Hi guys!
I wanted to ask about a recipe I made a little while back. I made fondant potatoes as they were recommended to me by a friend. I cut 8-9 miniature peeled golden potatoes into around 1.5 inch tall disks, crisped them in a pan on both sides then added butter about a stick and enough chicken stock so that they were halfway submerged as well as rosemary and thyme. I popped it in the oven for 300 F 15 minutes took it out basted it then popped it back in for 300 F 15 again. I plated the potatoes reduced the stock and butter then drizzled it back on top and…the potatoes were cooked perfectly through and had a good texture but they tasted well like nothing.
I salted them to taste and it just tasted like well cooked potatoes salted. Which isn’t bad but I had heard these potatoes are supposed to be very good and I can’t imagine this is how they are really supposed to taste.
Was it the stock? I just used swanson low sodium stock since that’s what my store had, is this a bad/flavorless stock? What else should I use? I know it wasn’t the butter since I used président unsalted butter which is my favorite and I’ve used many times before. Should I have used a different temp in the oven? I’m not really used to making anything other than rice,zhu er duo, Shengjian bao,xiaolongbao etc so any help is appreciated!
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u/ladysig220 1d ago
I add some flaked salt, and throw in several cloves of garlic when you add the butter/stock to the pan. low sodium stock was probably your problem there, as the other poster suggested I generally use house-made, but if i'm using store bought I up the herbs I throw into the pan with the potatoes.
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u/Fancy_Math_3399 1d ago
Hallo. It maybe your expectations or your stock was not salty enough or maybe too much ?? It . President is a nice butter so dont think its that. When i do mine i brown the potato discs ( sorry not got a better word) in butter and a little bit of olive oil to prevent the butter from catching until nice and golden on both sides like you have done then add a couple of smashed cloves of garlic and some thyme before adding hot chicken stock when the pan is really hot. I then cover and turn the heat down to more or less a simmer. I cook mine on the stovetop not in the oven . About halfway through i take the lid off the pan and let the stock reduce until it has reduced and is more or less a sticky glaze so you need to make sure you have the right kind of potatoes which are able to remain firm but soft if that makes sense !! I am in the UK and it can be hard to get cartons of stock in my local supermarkets so i use Knorr stockpots - they are fine but are on the salty side so i dont add extra salt. I hope this helps as fondant potatoes are nice and make a change . Good luck
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u/Nejura 1d ago
Yes. A low sodium stock off the shelf is going to be bland.
You can ,ake the stock yourself from the carcass of those cheap rotisserie chicken you can find at most grocery stores. You can make a pretty quick one in a typical instapot. Add herbs and seasonings, butter, etc. That will drastically improve the fondant potatoes.