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.
308 K 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
1 hour 55 min.
Easy
18 people
6 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 18 people, you will need:
- 1
4 kgs 500 g potatoes - 2
600 g belly (streaky) bacon - 3
300 g grated cheese - 4
3 tablespoons goose fat - 5
salt - 6
pepper - Total weight: 5,445 grams
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 4 kgs 500 g 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 3 tablespoons goose fat (or butter).
Stage 4 - 15 min.
As soon as fat is melted, remove pan from heat, and lay 600 g 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 | 210 RDI=80 % | 880 RDI=80 % | 480 RDI=70 % | 8,710 RDI=440 % | 36,460 RDI: 440 % |
| 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 18 people : 10.80 €
- 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: Grandma's salad, Potato gratin, Valay salad, Big knife-cut chips (French fries) , Roast potatoes "à la provençale", ... See them all 83
Belly (streaky) bacon
Like these other recipes: Winemaker's toast, Bacon and cabbage omelette, Roast beef "like they do it in Santa Fe", Pâté de campagne, Sausagemeat, ... See them all 31
Grated cheese
Like these other recipes: Pollack Parmentier, Salmon and Spinach Gratin, Hachis parmentier, Stuffed baguette , Gratin-style spinach and chicken omelette , ... See them all 73
Goose fat
Like these other recipes: Express sauerkraut, Icelandic-style fish and vegetable pie, Breton leek and mushroom tart, Röstis, Cassoulet, ... See them all 15
Other recipes you may also like
Small foie gras pasties
Dainty pasties, filled with a morsel of seasoned foie gras.September 7th 2018325 K4.6 2 hours
Mexican ceviche
Ceviche is typical of South American cuisine, made with avocados, tomatoes and fish fillet cured in lime juice. This is a personal version of Mexican-style ceviche.October 13th 2010372 K 15 3 hours 9 min.
Checkerboard biscuits
These biscuits are half and half chocolate and almond in a checkerboard pattern, both in colour and flavour.March 8th 2012145 K5 4 hours 25 min.
Spaghetti with smoked salmon
After cooking the spaghetti as usual, strips of smoked salmon are added with cream, lemon, Parmesan and egg yolks.March 10th 2013146 K3.8 40 min.
Purple artichokes braised in white wine
In this recipe, small purple artichokes are trimmed and braised (i.e. simmered gently in a small quantity of liquid) in white wine.June 29th 201478 K4.3 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-27)
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.