Crispy Lyonnaise Potatoes Recipe

Prepare and parboil potatoes

Wash and scrub the potatoes. Cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (or 3/4-inch if you prefer chunkier pieces). Place potato pieces in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 6–8 minutes depending on thickness. Do not overcook — they should hold shape. Drain well in a colander and let steam-dry for 5 minutes to remove excess surface moisture.

Roast garlic (if not already roasted)

If you haven't roasted garlic yet: preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the top off a 4–6 clove head of garlic (or use 6 individual cloves lightly crushed), toss with a little olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast 25–30 minutes until soft and caramelized. For this recipe we assume you have 6 roasted cloves peeled and ready.

Caramelize onions

Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced yellow onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring every few minutes so they brown evenly. After about 15 minutes the onions will soften and begin to brown; sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar over them to help caramelization. Continue cooking another 8–12 minutes until deep golden brown and sweet, adding 1–2 tablespoons of water if they start to stick. Toward the end, stir in 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar to brighten the flavor and deglaze any browned bits.

Mash roasted garlic

Place the 6 roasted garlic cloves in a small bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon or a fork. Add 1 tablespoon softened butter (from the 'Potatoes & Finish' butter quantity) or 1 teaspoon olive oil to loosen into a spreadable paste.

Crisp the parboiled potatoes

Heat a large heavy skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and swirl to coat. Arrange the parboiled potato rounds in a single layer, not overcrowding — work in batches if necessary. Let cook undisturbed for 3–5 minutes until the undersides develop a deep golden crust. Flip pieces and brown the other side, another 3–5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium when they are browning too quickly.

Combine with onions and garlic

When the potatoes are nicely crisped, push them to one side of the pan (or remove and return if you did batches). Add the caramelized onions and the roasted garlic paste to the potatoes in the skillet. Gently fold everything together so the onions and garlic coat the potato pieces. If the pan seems dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt to gloss the potatoes.

Season and finish

Scatter the fresh thyme leaves over the potatoes and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (adjust to taste). Toss carefully so you don’t break the potatoes. Cook for another 1–2 minutes for flavors to marry and to let the garlic mellow. Stir in the chopped parsley right before serving.

Serve

Transfer the Crispy Lyonnaise Potatoes to a warm serving platter and serve immediately while crisp. Provide extra salt and pepper at the table.