Pommes dauphine-style cheesy duchess potato mixture, piped as rosettes and nests and fried as croquettes

A duchess potato mix needs a mash with the minimum possible moisture. Cut the potatoes in half and start them in cold water with two tablespoons of coarse or rock salt.

Cook only until just done. Soggy potatoes or potatoes that absorb too much water give a runny mixture that cannot be used.

Alternatively cook them in their skins and peel them hot, or, best of all, bake them in the oven on a bed of salt like a jacket potato and scoop out the flesh -- that keeps water out entirely.

Bring to the boil and cook about 10 to 15 minutes. They are ready when a knife pricked in falls out under its own weight; large chunks took 17 minutes here, and about 15 minutes after boiling is the sweet spot.

Take the pan off the heat and scoop the potatoes straight into a colander to drain three to four minutes.

Tip onto a tray, break the potatoes up roughly and dry them in the oven at 200 degrees for about three minutes.

Pass the dried potatoes through a vegetable mill or ricer, then put them over a medium heat and mix gently four to five minutes to heat the mix through and drive the remaining moisture out, until it holds a paste-like consistency.

Season with pepper and a little salt, going light because the cheese is salty, and add 30 g of butter; mix and melt it in.

Add 70 g of cheese over medium heat and melt it through. Add the rest of the butter if you want it richer, then turn the heat off.

Add the egg yolks one tablespoon at a time off the heat, checking the colour and consistency between each, up to four. The paste goes runny as they go in.

Back on a gentle heat, finish with salt, more pepper and a little butter if needed. It is right when it is a coherent mass like a choux pastry that no longer sticks to the pan and is not too runny.

Spread into a shallow tray, cover with plastic wrap and cool to lukewarm.

Load a piping bag and pipe rosettes, practising the shape on a plate first if you are not used to a bag. Pipe them tall rather than low.

For a nest, mark the size with a wetted food ring and pipe two stacked circles; open the inside out with a knife.

Brush a little clarified butter over the top, or sprinkle cheese, which is typical and makes them cheesier and fluffier.

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius about 15 minutes, to a good colour.

For croquettes, chill the mixture in the freezer until cold but not frozen.

Set up a breading station of flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Roll a piece of the mixture into a ball, through the flour, shaking off the excess without overdoing it, then into the egg -- turn it around your finger or it loses its shape -- then roll it in the breadcrumbs.

Deep fry at 180 degrees Celsius, one or two at a time, about three to four minutes. Drain and plate.

Fill the nests with sautéed mushroom and a piece of sage; a Madeira sauce and a slice of roast go alongside. All three go with turkey, chicken, lamb or beef.