Name: Pommes de Terre Mireille
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 side-dish servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 pound (454 g / about 3 cups or 710 ml) medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into 3/16-inch (5 mm) roundels; 4 ounces (113 g / about 3/4 cup or 180 ml) plain cooked artichoke bottoms, drained, dried, and sliced; 1 1/2 ounces (43 g / scant 1/4 cup or 55 ml) fresh black truffle or whole preserved black truffle, thinly sliced; 6 tablespoons (90 ml / 85 g) unsalted butter, divided; 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 6 g) fine sea salt, divided; 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml / 0.6 g) freshly ground black pepper

Question 1

What is Pommes de Terre Mireille?

Accepted Answer

Pommes de Terre Mireille is a French-style potato side dish of 3/16-inch waxy potato roundels sautéed in butter, combined with sliced cooked artichoke bottoms and black truffle. The potatoes and artichokes are fully cooked before a final 60-to-90-second sauté that distributes the garnish while preserving crisp edges.

Question 2

What potatoes are best for Pommes de Terre Mireille?

Accepted Answer

Use Charlotte or Yukon Gold potatoes because their waxy flesh holds distinct 3/16-inch roundels through sautéing and the final toss. Avoid floury baking potatoes, which tend to split and turn Pommes de Terre Mireille into a buttery scramble instead of separate bronzed rounds.

Question 3

Can I use canned artichokes and preserved black truffle?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Use plain cooked artichoke bottoms, either frozen and thawed or canned without herbs or oil. Drain and blot them completely dry before sautéing. Replace fresh black truffle with thinly sliced whole preserved black truffle. Do not use marinated artichoke hearts or truffle oil; they change the dish's texture and character.

Question 4

How do I keep the potato rounds from steaming or sticking?

Accepted Answer

Dry the potato roundels thoroughly, season immediately before cooking, and sauté half at a time in a 12-inch skillet with 2 tablespoons butter. Add them when the butter foams actively without darkening. An uncrowded single layer prevents steaming, while turning after the undersides become butter-gold helps the surfaces bronze without sticking.

Question 5

What should I do if the potatoes brown before their centers soften?

Accepted Answer

If the potato faces brown while the centers stay firm, lower the heat, cover the skillet for 60 to 90 seconds, then uncover it. Let the trapped moisture evaporate completely before continuing to sauté. The potato roundels are done when both faces are bronzed and a small knife enters the centers without resistance.

Question 6

Can I prepare Pommes de Terre Mireille ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Prepare only the artichoke bottoms ahead: drain, dry, and slice them up to one day in advance, refrigerate covered, and blot dry again before sautéing. Slice the potatoes and truffle close to cooking, and never sauté the potatoes ahead. Serve Pommes de Terre Mireille immediately because holding softens its butter-gold edges and mutes the truffle fragrance.

Culinary Explorer

Pommes de Terre Mireille

Ingredients

medium waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte or Yukon Gold

plain cooked artichoke bottoms

fresh black truffle or whole preserved black truffle

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
medium waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte or Yukon Goldpeeled and cut crosswise into 3/16-inch (5 mm) roundels	1 pound (454 g / about 3 cups or 710 ml)
plain cooked artichoke bottomsdrained, dried, and sliced	4 ounces (113 g / about 3/4 cup or 180 ml)
fresh black truffle or whole preserved black trufflebrushed clean or drained, then thinly sliced	1 1/2 ounces (43 g / scant 1/4 cup or 55 ml)