Avengers' potatoes
Lurking behind this strange name (see reason below) is a kind of potato-cheese gratin, which is wrapped in thin slices of bacon. It's cooked first on the hob, then in the oven.
304 K 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
1 hour 55 min.
Easy
12 people
6 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 12 people, you will need:
- 1
12 2⁄3 cups potatoes - 2
1 ¾ cup belly (streaky) bacon - 3
1 cup grated cheese - 4
2 tablespoons goose fat - 5
salt - 6
pepper
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooking: 55 min.
All in all: 1 hour 55 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 30 min.
Wash and peel 12 2⁄3 cups potatoes, cut into even medium sized slices
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Put the potato slices in a pan, cover with water, salt and bring to boil.
As soon as it boils, remove from heat and drain in strainer.
Set aside.
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
As soon as it boils, remove from heat and drain in strainer.
Set aside.
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
Stage 3 - 1 min.
In a large pan that can be used both on the hob and in the oven (with metal or removable handle), melt 2 tablespoons goose fat (or butter).
Stage 4 - 15 min.
As soon as fat is melted, remove pan from heat, and lay 1 ¾ cup belly (streaky) bacon slices in bottom (bacon should be as thin as possible).
Make a kind of rose-window shape, radiating from centre...
Make a kind of rose-window shape, radiating from centre...
Stage 5
...all round up and over the sides.
No matter if some slices overlap others a little, especially in centre, ideally you should no longer be able to see the bottom of the pan .
No matter if some slices overlap others a little, especially in centre, ideally you should no longer be able to see the bottom of the pan .
Stage 6 - 5 min.
Put one third of potatoes onto bacon, salt, pepper and add half grated cheese.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Make another potato layer, add rest of cheese and a final layer of potatoes.
Stage 8 - 5 min.
Fold bacon slices over on top.
Stage 9 - 3 min.
Put the pan on high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, to start cooking and brown bacon.
Stage 10 - 40 min.
Put in the oven for about 40 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
Stage 11
Turn out by inverting pan onto a dish or a big plate.
Serve if possible with green salad and a good French dressing (vinaigrette).
Serve if possible with green salad and a good French dressing (vinaigrette).
Remarks
This is a very approximate recipe, don't hesitate to change all ingredients to your taste: a bit more of this, a bit less of that will pose no problem.
The strange name "avenger's potatoes"? Oh yes, here's the reason: it came from another recipe by famous French chef Joel Robuchon called "pommes des vendangeurs" (grape-pickers' potatoes). When we made it for the first time, my elder son Jeremy was 10 and he loved it (like all the family) and asked for more "avengers' potatoes" because that was what he'd understood by this new word. Of course, it's easier to understand the confusion in French, because the words "avengers" (vengeurs) and "grape-pickers" (vendangeurs) are quite similar. Anyway we kept the name for this (now) traditional family recipe.
The strange name "avenger's potatoes"? Oh yes, here's the reason: it came from another recipe by famous French chef Joel Robuchon called "pommes des vendangeurs" (grape-pickers' potatoes). When we made it for the first time, my elder son Jeremy was 10 and he loved it (like all the family) and asked for more "avengers' potatoes" because that was what he'd understood by this new word. Of course, it's easier to understand the confusion in French, because the words "avengers" (vengeurs) and "grape-pickers" (vendangeurs) are quite similar. Anyway we kept the name for this (now) traditional family recipe.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, covered by a plastic film.
Source: Joël Robuchon, via Jérémy.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 140 RDI=50 % | 580 RDI=60 % | 320 RDI=50 % | 5,810 RDI=290 % | 24,310 RDI: 290 % |
| Per 100 g | 3 RDI=1 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 8 RDI=1 % | 160 RDI=8 % | 670 RDI: 8 % |
| Per person | 10 RDI=4 % | 50 RDI=5 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 480 RDI=20 % | 2,030 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 12 people : 7.20 €
- Per person : 0.60 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Potatoes
Like these other recipes: Super-green, super-thrifty soup, Hotpot my grandmother's way , Gratin with Parmesan flavours, Pork Chops Champvallon style, Potato purée , ... See them all 81
Belly (streaky) bacon
Like these other recipes: Pâté de campagne, Tartiflette, Eggs Arsène, Fried egg in bread, Larded pork tenderloin, ... See them all 30
Grated cheese
Like these other recipes: Grilled ham and bechamel sandwiches, Gratin slices with spinach, Cheese Soufflé, Baker's chicken and potato tart, Breton galettes (pancakes), ... See them all 71
Goose fat
Like these other recipes: Sausage mushroom and cheese crumble, Breton leek and mushroom tart, Foie gras cured in salt, Icelandic-style fish and vegetable pie, Chicken pie, ... See them all 15
Other recipes you may also like
Exotic fruit tart
An exotic fruit tart (bananas, kiwi and pineapple), with crisp pastry and almond cream which are cooked beforehand. It's a rather simple recipe, but the final result will impress your guests.May 27th 2020320 K5 2 hours 25 min.
Choux pastry (pâte à choux)
Choux pastry is used for making profiteroles, eclairs and other small pastries.February 13th 2022535 K4.5 1 hour 4 min.
Bouquet garni
Used very frequently in French cuisine, a secret of French chefs, it adds flavour to a lot of recipes, and it's easy to prepare. The basic principle is to make a small bundle of herbs, bind them in green leek leaves and to tie it up, so that the whole thing can be removed and discarded easily after...March 21th 2017416 K3.5 15 min.
Little apple turnovers with almonds and raisins
These are small apple turnovers ("chaussons") of puff pastry, filled with a mixture of caramelised almonds, stewed apple and rum-soaked raisins. To be eaten just as they are...September 11th 2018304 K3.8 1 hour 35 min.
How to prepare spinach
For most people (and me most of all), spinach brings back bad memories of canteens... But, well prepared, it's a fine and delicate vegetable which goes remarkably well with scrambled eggs, fish, and many another things. Here are two ways of preparing it.June 5th 20153.39 M3.5 1 hour 9 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-04-06)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.