Crispy Potato Flowers with Mont d'Or

Ingredients

• 4 medium units Potatoes (Peeled, about 600 g total)
• 500 g Mont d'Or Cheese (Round, at room temperature before cooking)
• 30 g Cornstarch (About 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons Coarse salt (To draw out moisture from the potatoes)
• 2 tablespoons Honey (Drizzle over the cheese)
• 1 clove Garlic (Peeled and halved)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh or dried thyme (Crumbled over the cheese)
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil (Mixed with honey on the cheese)
• 500 ml Frying oil (sunflower or peanut) (For frying, temperature 180 °C)
• 1 pinch Black pepper (Season the cheese)

Instructions

1. Sculpt the potatoes

   Cut each side of the potato to obtain a rectangle about 1 cm thick, then make parallel slits without cutting all the way through to form petals.

   Time: PT15M

2. Salting and drawing out moisture

   Place the sculpted potatoes in a dish, sprinkle with coarse salt and press with your fingers to work the salt into each slit. Let rest for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

3. Prepare the Mont d'Or

   Cut the Mont d'Or in half lengthwise, draw a cross in the center of each half, insert the two garlic halves into the cuts, then drizzle with honey, olive oil, thyme, a little pepper and a pinch of salt.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cook the cheese

   Place the two halves of Mont d'Or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes at 200 °C until melted and lightly golden.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 200°C

5. Rinse the potatoes

   Remove the potatoes from the salt, rinse under cold water to eliminate excess salt, then drain on paper towels.

   Time: PT5M

6. Starch coating

   Place the cornstarch in a large bowl, roll the potato flowers in it until fully coated, then shake off excess.

   Time: PT5M

7. Heat the oil

   Pour the frying oil into a saucepan or deep fryer, heat to 180 °C (use a thermometer).

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Fry the potato flowers

   Gently lower the flowers into the hot oil, fry until golden and crispy (about 8‑10 minutes). Remove with a skimmer and place on paper towels.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Mont d'Or Cheese: Brie, Camembert
• Instead of Cornstarch: Potato starch
• Instead of Coarse salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Honey: Maple syrup
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder (½ tsp)
• Instead of Fresh or dried thyme: Herbes de Provence
• Instead of Olive oil: Rapeseed oil
• Instead of Frying oil (sunflower or peanut): Peanut oil
• Instead of Black pepper: White pepper

Equipment Needed

• Paring knife
• Cutting board
• Tongs or chopsticks
• Bowl or soaking dish
• Colander
• Paper towel
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Saucepan or deep fryer
• Cooking thermometer (optional)
• Skimmer or slotted skimmer

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Precise sculpting of potatoes to form petals.
• Salting and 20‑minute resting time to draw out moisture from potatoes.
• Full coating with starch to achieve a crispy crust.
• Maintain oil at 180 °C during frying.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a mandoline to cut the slits evenly.
• Lightly sprinkle smoked paprika on the flowers after frying for a touch of color and flavor.
• Serve immediately with the melted Mont d'Or in the center of the plate.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Fried flowers keep 1‑2 days in an airtight container, reheated in the oven at 150 °C before serving.

Freezer: Not recommended; the crispy texture deteriorates.

Room temperature: Consume immediately to retain crunch.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Sculpt and salt the potatoes the day before, store them in cold water in the refrigerator.
• After starch coating, place the flowers on a rack and refrigerate until cooking.
• The Mont d'Or can be prepared 30 minutes before cooking and kept at room temperature.