Colcannon Potatoes

Keeping with Sunday's Irish themed dinner, this staple was a must.  Traditionally done with cabbage, I substituted kale.  It came out a winner and added some nice color to the plate.  If you have left-overs, add a whole egg and form into small cakes and fry up golden brown.  Makes a nice take on hash browns for breakfast or goes great with a salad for lunch.  Enjoy!

Serves 4-6
1 small bunch kale, washed, stem removed, and shredded
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
3 strips of good smoked bacon, cooked and chopped

Garnish- Fresh parsley, minced

 

Place cut potatoes into a large pot filled with water, salt and bring to boil.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are tender.

While potatoes are cooking, place kale and chicken stock in a large sauce pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer covered, until kale is tender about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid in a bowl. Place green onions in drained kale liquid and keep warm.

 

Drain potatoes; place in a large bowl and mash. Add mayonnaise, kale and chicken stock with onions.  Mix until just blended.  Correct seasoning with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  To serve, drizzle with butter top with parsley and bacon. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Pork Hash

Here's a great easy to make dinner (come on, with bacon of course it's terrific!)  If  made a day or two before it improves as the flavors really get a chance to marry.  If made a head of time I like to heat in a hot pan and develop a crust, yum!  Add a poached egg on top and you've got a world class breakfast.  Enjoy!

1# pork country ribs, cut into 1" pieces
seasoning mix- brown sugar, coffee, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, ground mustard, paprika

6 oz. Bacon, diced
2 oz. Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stock, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced and blanched

1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 C. chicken stock (broth)
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. Fresh sage, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Combine seasoning mix in a bowl and generously rub the pork ribs with it. Place ribs in a baking pan and cover with foil.  Place in a preheated 250F oven.  Cook for 3 hours til fork tender.

Heat large frying pan over medium high flame.  Add bacon and cook to golden brown.  Remove bacon and reserve on plate lined with paper towel.  To bacon fat add oil and then add onion, carrot, and celery, mix and sweat for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Add bell pepper, potato, and herbs.  Add stock and return cooked pork back to mixture.  Stir to make sure everything is well combined.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking.  Serve and enjoy!

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!

Forest Mushroom Latkes with Mushroom Salad and Chives

So were coming up on Hanukkah and I'm already thinking of what to do with the potato pancakes this year.  Since wild mushrooms are kind of an obsession of mine, this combination is an exciting one.  Enjoy!

Latkes:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups chopped onions, divided
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil (for frying)

Salad and chive cream:
1 cup nondairy sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 1/2 tablespoons (or more) white wine vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 small garlic cloves, pressed
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 cups (packed) baby greens

For latkes:
Combine porcini and boiling water in bowl. Soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Strain, pressing out all liquid. Chop porcini.
Blend potatoes and 1/2 cup onions in processor until finely ground and some liquid forms. Turn mixture out onto kitchen towel. Gather towel around and squeeze mixture very dry. Scrape into large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups onions and next 4 ingredients. Stir until batter becomes moist. Add porcini.
Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop potato mixture into skillet by scant 1/4 cupfuls. Flatten into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to large baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 400°F oven until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

For salad and chive cream:
Stir nondairy sour cream, chives, and 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl to blend.
Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and all mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons vinegar; toss. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.
Overlap latkes on plates. Mound greens alongside; top with mushrooms. Serve with chive cream and Enjoy!

Daulphinoise Potatoes

This was a staple side dish in the Grill Room at the Ritz Carlton.  Around the Holidays it makes a super side dish for roasts, lamb, steaks, etc.  It can be served family style in the dish or you can cut the finished potatoes into shapes.  I have had many friends ask for this recipe, so here it is, Enjoy!

4 medium russet potatoes

2 Tbsp. butter

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped fine

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Grated nutmeg, to taste

1 C. heavy cream

1 C. whole milk

4 eggs

1 1/2 C. grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with half of the butter.   Sprinkle the garlic evenly into the butter dish.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Reserve the mixture (called a Royale) on the side. 

Divide cheese into 2 parts, a one cup measure and a half cup measure. 

Working quickly, so they don’t brown, peel potatoes and slice thinly using a food processor.   Pat slices dry using paper towel.  Line the bottom of the dish with a layer of the potatoes, overlapping the slices.  Using the one cup measure, sprinkle some of the cheese and repeat layering more potatoes and cheese until all of the potatoes has been used.  Pour the cream mixture, gently over the potatoes making sure the liquid has penetrated evenly.  Using your hand, press down on the potato mixture to compact the potatoes and liquid.  Top with the remaining half cup measure of cheese and dot the top with the remaining tablespoon of butter.

Place baking dish into hot oven and cook for 50-60 minutes.   Check after 40 minutes, if top is over browning cover loosely with foil and return to the oven to finish.  Remove from oven.  The top of the potatoes should be golden brown and a sharp knife should pass easily through the layers of potato. 

Now, comes a choice, there are a couple of different ways to serve the finished dish.  The first is family style, let the dish rest for 15 minutes and serve.  Easy and definitely a crowd pleaser.   

The second way, if you want to “kick it up a notch” and it’s how we served them in the restaurant; you chill the fully cooked dish completely.  Obviously, this method of serving will require you make this the day before or earlier in the day you want to serve it.  Once fully cooled, run a very sharp knife around the edges of the dish and loosen.  Place a large cutting board on the top of the dish and quickly flip both, so the dish is now upside down on top of the cutting board.   Carefully, using your knife, remove the entire Daulphinoise, in one piece, onto the cutting board.  From here you can cut the potatoes into whatever shape you want (we did diamonds or rounds).   Flip the cut potato shapes so the golden brown cheese side is up.  To reheat, place in 400 degrees F. oven until hot through and through.  Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Sweet-Potato Spears with Bacon Vinaigrette

4 Lbs medium sweet potatoes (about 7)

½ lb sliced bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch strips

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 scallions, thinly sliced, reserving sliced greens separately

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon water

Preparation;

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Peel sweet potatoes then cut each lengthwise into 6 spears.  Arrange in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan.

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet over moderate high heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, 10-15 minutes.  Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.  Pour bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve over the potato spears and toss with two spatulas to coat.  Sprinkle spears with ½ of the salt and pepper and roast uncovered turn every 15 minutes until potatoes are tender and edges are browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Return bacon to cleaned skillet, and then add oil and heat over moderate high heat until hot but not smoking.    Stir in white parts of the scallions and remove from heat.  Stir in vinegar, water, remaining salt and pepper, and pour over the potato spears.  Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve warm.

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cippolini Onions and Garlic

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cippolini Onions and Garlic

3-4 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and either cut into wedges or large dice

Olive Oil

4-5 cloves Garlic, peeled

1 c. Cippolini Onions (I've also used any small/baby onion), peeled

Salt and Blk. Pepper to taste

Preparation-

Preheat oven to 400.  On roasting pan toss potatoes, whole cloves of garlic, and onions in a generous amount of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Put in oven for 15 mins.  Using tongs or a spatula turn potatoes and return to oven for 10-15 mins.  Looking for golden brown and a fork can easily pierce.  Serve hot.