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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Potatoes with cancoillotte and green salad

Potatoes with cancoillotte is a dish from the Franche-Comté region for 4 people, ready in 35 minutes, very easy to make, for €1.90 per person. Steamed potatoes get topped with melted garlicky cancoillotte cheese, served alongside a tangy green salad. The trick is melting the cancoillotte over very low heat with a little water so it stays smooth and pourable.

Steamed potatoes topped with warm garlicky cancoillotte, a simple specialty from the Franche-Comté region, with a salad to round things out.

Potatoes with cancoillotte and green salad
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Cancoillotte melts into a stringy, creamy sauce that coats hot potatoes without drowning them. Garlic cooked gently in butter gives it a round flavor, never sharp, and a generous grind of pepper adds just enough edge. It's a rustic dish, the kind you eat in a sweater while snow falls outside, simple but never bland.

This is the dinner for nights when you have neither the time nor the energy to complicate things. Kids generally love the melty texture and mild cheesy flavor, especially if you let the cancoillotte run generously over the potatoes. A sharply dressed green salad brings the freshness that balances the melted cheese, and the whole thing comes together with just one pot and one pan.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Plain cancoillotte 400 g
  • Butter 20 g

Pantry

  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the peeled potatoes in salted water or steam them. 25 min

    Cut them into even pieces for an even cook.

  2. Sauté the chopped garlic in the butter over low heat. 2 min

    Don't let the garlic brown, it would turn bitter.

  3. Add the cancoillotte and a small glass of water, and melt while stirring. 5 min

    Stir constantly so it doesn't stick.

  4. Toss the salad with the oil and vinegar.

    A sharply dressed salad balances out the cancoillotte.

  5. Pour the warm cancoillotte over the potatoes and season generously with pepper.

    Serve right away, it firms up as it cools.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick waxy potatoes, they hold their shape better during cooking and soak up the sauce without falling apart.
  • Taste the cancoillotte before adding any salt, it already has a distinct, sometimes salty flavor on its own.
  • If the sauce thickens too much as it cools, stir in a spoonful of hot water to loosen it back up.

The variations

  • Swap the fresh garlic for garlic powder if you want a milder, less pronounced flavor.
  • Add pan fried bacon lardons for a heartier version, a classic touch in the Franche-Comté region.
  • For kids, serve the cancoillotte on the side in a small bowl so they can dip their own potatoes.

What to serve it with

  • A slice of country bread
  • A grilled Morteau sausage
  • A glass of sparkling water

Storage

The potatoes and cancoillotte keep for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, stored separately from the salad. Reheat the cancoillotte over very low heat with a little water to bring back its pourable texture. This dish doesn't freeze well, the cancoillotte's texture would suffer.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace cancoillotte with another cheese?

Cancoillotte has a very distinct texture and flavor that's hard to copy. Melted reblochon or a savoyard fondue mix can come close, but the result will be richer and less pourable.

Should you peel the potatoes before or after cooking?

Peel them before cooking for this recipe, it's faster and the cancoillotte clings better to the tender flesh. Cut them into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

You can cook the potatoes ahead and reheat them by steaming. The cancoillotte, though, is best melted at the last minute so it stays smooth and hot.

Why does the cancoillotte turn grainy?

If the heat is too high or there isn't enough water, cancoillotte can curdle. Always melt it over very low heat while stirring, with a splash of water to keep it loose.

How long does it take to make potatoes with cancoillotte and a green salad?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in potatoes with cancoillotte and a green salad?

About 500 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does potatoes with cancoillotte and a green salad cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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