Shingled Potatoes

For this preparation you should pick potatoes that are all about the same size.  Medium sized potatoes work best.  Although slicing the potatoes takes some time, the beautiful presentation is worth it.  This makes a elegant accompaniment to any meal.

Makes 8 servings

8 russet (baking) potatoes (6 to 8 oz each)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons fresh Thyme, minced
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Peel potatoes and as you finish each, put in a large bowl of cold water (to prevent browning). Once all are peeled, take one at a time and cut a thin sliver lengthwise from one side of the potato with a sharp knife to make it stand flat on a cutting board.  Now, make crosswise cuts, 1/8" apart, but not completely through to the bottom.  Make sure you stop about 1/8" from cutting them all the way through so they don't fall apart.  Drop potato back into water after cutting.

Line bottom of a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with parchment, then butter parchment. Drain potatoes and pat dry. Place in the baking pan and gently press each potato down with your hand so the slices fan out slightly. Brush potatoes all over with 2 tablespoons butter (total), making sure to get some of the butter between the slices. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake potatoes until just tender, 45-50 minutes, then remove foil and bake until tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.  If making potatoes earlier in the day or the day before you can cool them at this time.  Once completely cooled, store covered in the refrigerator.  Before you sever them, continue with the below step.

Preheat broiler.

In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.  Brush potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter, then sprinkle with bread crumb mixture and broil about 5 inches from heat until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and serve immediately and Enjoy!

Carrots with a Tunisian Yogurt Sauce

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds small carrots, scrubbed, tops trimmed to 1/2"
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander or fennel
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon harissa paste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus more
Lemon wedges (for serving)

Cook carrots in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender and skins easily rub off, about 5 minutes; drain. Transfer to a bowl of ice water. Using paper towels, gently rub carrots to remove skins and pat dry.

Mix sugar, mustard powder, paprika, cumin, and coriander in a small bowl. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl. Add spice mixture; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. Working in 2 batches, cook carrots, turning occasionally, until deep brown all over, 6–8 minutes.  Because the sugar in the rub can burn easily if cooked too long, make sure to watch carefully.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, place yogurt in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add harissa paste, 2 teaspoons thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and gently swirl ingredients, stopping before yogurt turns pink.
Spoon harissa yogurt onto plates and top with carrots, more thyme, and more lemon zest. Serve with lemon wedges and Enjoy!

Menu March 1st - March 7th

Saturday-
Mahi-Mahi Tacos with Salsa Fresco
Cilantro-Citrus Slaw
Spicy Black Beans
Smashed Avocado

Sunday-
Ragú with Sausage and Braciole
Brown Rice Pasta
Broccoli with Lemon Zest, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flake

Monday-
Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Mustard and Sage
Creamy Polenta
Green Beans with Red Onion

Tuesday-
Oven Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy
Spice-Crusted Carrots
Baby Greens Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Wednesday-
Short Rib Pot Pie with a Crusty Potato Top
Chopped Salad with Plum Tomatoes and Creamy Garlic Dressing

Thursday-
Dinner Out

Friday-
Root Vegetable Hash with Beets and Pork Belly, Scrambled Eggs

Short Rib Pot Pie with a Crusty Potato Top

Here's a great riff on a classic.  The short ribs adds a luxurious element to this dish and I love the crusty potatoes on top instead of the pastry which usually accompanies a pot pie.

Serves 8

3 pound boneless beef short ribs, cut into 2" pieces
2 large russet potatoes
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 10-ounce package frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 cup frozen carrots and peas, thawed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
2 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs thyme, plus 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

For filling and assembly:

Season short ribs with kosher salt and pepper; toss with 1/2 cup flour on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and, working in batches, shake excess flour from ribs and cook, turning occasionally, until deeply browned, 8–10 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl.

Add onions to same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown; using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic to pot, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened in color, 5–8 minutes. Add wine, rosemary, and thyme sprigs, bring to a boil, and cook, scraping up browned bits, until liquid is reduced by half, 8–10 minutes. Add 6 cups water to pot and bring to a boil.

Return short ribs to pot; season with kosher salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until short ribs are almost falling apart and liquid is thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, 2 1/2–3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Add onions, peas and carrots, and chopped thyme to pot and stir to break up short ribs; correct seasoning with kosher salt and pepper, to taste. Remove herb sprigs.

Peel potatoes and using a Mandolin, food processor, or very sharp knife, cut into very thin slices (1/8").   Working quickly, transfer filling to a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Shingle potatoes over filling and drizzle with butter, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and sea salt.

Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake pot pie until filling is bubbling and potatoes are golden brown, 50–60 minutes.  Let sit 5–10 minutes then serve family style with a simple salad.

Ragú with Sausage and Braciole

As my wife says, "this ones a lot of mashing and bashing"; but it's so worth it.  This one shows up for many a Sunday dinner in our house.  We usually have friends or family over and it's great for a crowd.  I found this very reminiscent of "old world" preparations.  This is not an exact science, so feel free to use any type of meat, pork chops or short ribs work great.  Your family/guests will think you've got a nonna in the kitchen helping you out.  Enjoy!

Makes enough for 8

 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
7 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds beef top round, thinly sliced by a butcher for braciole
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausage, halved crosswise
1 pound baby back pork ribs, cut into 3- to 4-rib pieces, or pork spare ribs, cut into individual ribs
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds large tubular pasta (such as rigatoni or tortiglioni.  I use wheat-free pasta, I especially like brown rice pastas for the consistency and mouth feel)


Spread out breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and let sit uncovered at room temperature until dried out, about 12 hours.

Combine breadcrumbs, Pecorino, parsley, red pepper flakes, paprika, 1 chopped garlic clove, and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl.

Trim beef slices into 6x2" pieces; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each slice with about 2 tablespoons breadcrumb mixture, roll up, and secure with a toothpick or twine; set braciole aside. Set remaining breadcrumb mixture aside.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and cook sausage, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet.

Season ribs with salt and pepper; cook in same pot until browned on all sides, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet with sausage. Cook reserved braciole in pot, turning occasionally, until browned, 5–8 minutes; transfer to same baking sheet.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook onion, anchovy, and remaining garlic in pot, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 8–10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened in color, 5–8 minutes.

Add crushed and whole tomatoes, crushing whole tomatoes with your hands; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 1–1 1/2 hours.

Add sausage, ribs, braciole, and any accumulated juices on baking sheet to sauce. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally and skimming surface as needed, until meat is very tender (rib meat should be falling off the bone), 2 1/2–3 hours longer. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain.

Toss pasta in a large bowl with a little of the sauce and top with reserved breadcrumb mixture. Remove bones from ribs and remove toothpicks from braciole. Serve braciole, ribs, sausage, and remaining sauce with pasta alongside.

DO AHEAD: Breadcrumbs can be dried out 5 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature. Sauce can be cooked 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Gently reheat sauce, covered, before cooking pasta.

Creamy Polenta

A great side dish for the Slow Roast Pork that follows, but can be matched with some many dishes to make a dynamite dinner.  This is a classic; creamy, satisfying, and easy to put together.  Enjoy!

3 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until mixture is very thick and creamy, whisking frequently, about 12 minutes. Whisk in cheese, serve, & Enjoy!

Slow Roasted Pork with Mustard and Sage

This is a wonderful meal to serve family style and just right for these cold winter nights. I like to serve this over a bed of soft polenta for catching the juices, with a simply dressed salad on the side.  Simple and easy to make, oh yeah and delicious!


1 skinless, bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt; 5–6 pounds)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh marjoram
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped


Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 325°F.

Season pork with salt and pepper. Mix mustard, sage, marjoram, and garlic in a small bowl. Spread all over pork, working it into all the crevices.

Place pork, fat side up, on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast, basting with pan juices about every hour and tenting with foil if pork browns too quickly, until pork is well browned and very tender, 5–6 hours (depending on size of pork shoulder).

Let pork rest at least 10 minutes before serving (the meat should pull apart easily).