Potato Dauphine

Photo: flickr user scaredy_kat

Ingredients

pound Russet, (baking) potatoes (about 1)

1 tablespoon Unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 pch Salt

1 pch Freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons All-purpose flour

1 lrg Egg

Vegetable oil for deepfrying the potatoes

Coarse salt for sprinkling the croquettes if desired

Preparation

Bake the potatoes in a preheated 425 degree oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are soft, halve them lengthwise, and scoop the potato out of the shells with a spoon, reserving the shells for another use. Force the scoopedout potato through a ricer or a food mill fitted with the medium disk into a large bowl.

In a saucepan combine 3 tablespoons water, the butter, the salt, and the nutmeg, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir in the flour all at once.

Reduce the heat to moderate and beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes, or until the paste pulls away from the side of the pan and forms a ball. Remove the pan from the heat, add the egg, beating the mixture until it is smooth and shiny.

Add the potatoes and beat the mixture until it is combined well. The potato mixture may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. In a deep fryer or large kettle heat 2 inches of the oil until it registers 340 degrees. on a deepfat thermometer. Transfer the potato mixture to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2inch star tip and pipe eight 2 1/2inch lengths, cutting them with kitchen shears or a small knife, directly into the oil. Fry the croquettes, turning them with a slotted spoon, for 3 minutes, or until they are crisp, golden, and cooked through, transfer them as they are