Roasted Baby Potatoes with Mustard Aioli & Onion Jam

White baby potatoes. Cut an "X" in the top of each potato. Do not cut all the way through the potato, just enough to make a small crown-like opening. You can also cut a small slice off the bottom of the potatoes if they are really round and roll too much. Drizzle the potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 425◦F until tender. They can be prepared ahead of time up to this point.
Fill the centers of the potatoes with onion jam and pop back in the oven to heat through. Remove from oven and top with a dollop of mustard aioli and two thin slices of chives.

Roast Beef

• Roasted hip of beef
• Caramelized onion and old cheddar mashed potatoes
• Wilted spinach
• Roasted cherry tomatoes
• Spaghetti squash
• Dijon sauce
• Watermelon radish

Home "Fries"

Home "Fries"
baby red potatoes
canola oil 
salt

Wash the potatoes. Halve them, then slice each halve into thin half moons. Place cut pieces in a bowl of cold water.
Drain potatoes well. Arrange on an oiled baking sheet, being careful not to crowd them.
Drizzle with some more oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 425◦F until potatoes are cooked and crisp.
They can also be baked until soft and cooked, then rebaked in the oven later until they are crisp.

This is really the easiest, fastest way to prepare potatoes that resemble fries without a deep-frier and a lot less work.

Haddock Gratin

• Haddock gratin
• Tarragon and thyme white wine bechamel base
• boiled baby red potatoes, caramelized onions, haddock chunks
• oven baked panko breadcrumbs
• herb and garlic butter toasts
• side garden salad with mixed greens, cucumber, onion, carrot, and pickled red onion

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

Flavored Oil

canola oil

cracked black pepper

kosher salt

garlic cloves

thyme leaves

parsely leaves

smoked paprika

Blend all ingredients together until mostly smooth. Use to drizzle over and coat potatoes in before roasting. Be sure to spoon a little extra oil over the potatoes before serving!

A great, easy way to add some delicious flavor to roasted potatoes directly in the cooking process. The oil may be made in advance and kept in the fridge. 

Place baby red potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle liberally with the oil (shake oil before using). Wrap tightly in foil and roast at 400◦F-450◦F until tender. 

Poached Bass with Beans, Potatoes, and Citrus Cream Cheese

• Striped Bass poached in court bouillon (white wine, fish stock, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, herbs and spices)
• Pan-sauteed yellow string beans and green broad beans
• Baby red potatoes roasted in garlic, thyme, parsley, paprika, and olive oil
• Citrus cream cheese sauce
• Purple basil

Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes are basically whole potatoes, large or small, with tiny even slits cut in them. This makes them look fancier, changes the texture and helps them cook more evenly, and allows any seasonings and flavors to penetrate through the potato. They can be broiled, baked, boiled, roasted, or fried. I prepared some baby red potatoes very simply by slicing the raw potatoes, tossing them in oil, salt, and pepper, wrapping them in foil (as a group, not individually), placing them on a baking sheet, and roasting them in a 400◦F oven until tender.

Catch Of The Day

Here is my catch of the day dish from the restaurant tonight.
Butter poached trout, hasselback potatoes, balsamic-glazed dried tomato, sauteed yellow and green zucchini, wild chanterelles, lemon dill pesto, and sprouts. 
I was very proud of myself for butchering, skinning, and filleting the five whole fresh local trout we got in for the dish. 
The dish sold very well and got really good feedback. I actually managed to execute it well during service time to only require two burners and about seven minutes from fire to plating.

Pork Belly & Mash

This was one of the action stations placed on the gold course event. It is easy to do to order and do in large quantities.

1. Brined, smoked, confit, seared pork belly
2. Creamy, buttery, mashed potatoes
3. Sweet apple cider gastrique

A piece of pork belly is brined overnight, double-smoked at a cool temperature for a long period of time, slowly cooked confit in fat, then seared until crispy. It is placed on a pile of creamy, smooth mashed potatoes and drizzle with an apple reduction sauce. 

Baby Baked Potatoes

I'm afraid I didn't snap a photo of these hors d'oevures either, but I did make them. It began with 400 baby red potatoes washed, halved and hollowed out with a melon baller.A small sliver from the bottom of the potato was also sliced off so the potato could sit without rolling around. Drizzled with oil, salt, and pepper and roasted on racks in the oven. Cooled and stuffed with rendered diced double smoked house bacon and shredded smoked gouda cheese. Then baked until the cheese was melted and potatoes were crisp.

The spare potato scraps can be saved and turned into round hashbrowns or mashed potatoes and the excess peels can be transformed into potato skins.

Chicken Pot Pie with Two Crusts

Chicken pot pie ... rich, creamy, delicious, and chock-full of vegetables and chicken. This one contains shredded chicken meat, peas, carrots, turnip, and potatoes in a creamy sauce. This pie is extra cook because it contains two different crusts - the bottom in a buttery puff pastry crust that absorbed all the flavor and moisture from the sauce making it merely a vessel for the filling. The top crust is crisp, light phyllo pastry that adds a nice crunch to the dish.

Pommes Duchesse

I like potatoes. They tend to be one of those overlooked items that are used all the time and have become a mundane staple. But I still like potatoes and like all the different ways to prepare them. One of my favorite new potato recipes is pommes duchesse or Duchess potatoes. They begin with basic mashed potatoes, but then are enriched with egg yolks and butter, and are piped. Then they are baked until golden on top and firm. There are many different variations on flavors, sizes, and shapes of pommes duchesse; but they all have a crisp exterior and soft, fluffy, rich, exterior. I never really measure amounts, just eyeball based on the consistency I know I need, but here is a guideline recipe.

Basic Pommes Duchesse

1-2 pounds potatoes (I find mealy potatoes such as Russet work best)

1-2 egg yolks, at room temperature

~ 1/2 cup butter (more or less), salted or unsalted just adjust salt content accordingly

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

other dry spices, as desired

chopped fresh or dried herbs, as desired

Peel and wash the potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes. Boil until very tender, then drain well. Let stand for a few minutes to dry out, then mash. I usually just mash by hand, but if you have a large amount or want them very smooth, use a potato ricer.

Cut the butter into cubes and add along with the egg, and seasonings, and mash them in until completely smooth.

Transfer to a piping bag. I always use one fitted with a star tip - either a small one to make small rosettes or a larger on to make big rosettes.

Pipe potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They can be refrigerated at this point of baked right away at 425◦F until golden on top and firm - larger rosettes will take longer.

A few tips and tricks: Potatoes should be very smooth and herbs should be cut fine so they can be piped. Potatoes need to be piped while they are still hot. Ensure the butter is in cubes and not melted so it incorporated without making the potatoes too liquidy. If tops do not color enough, broil them for a few minutes.

Easter Lamb Dinner

Today I made a leg of lamb dinner for Easter. I am practicing for an upcoming competition where I have to make an entree featuring leg of lamb, two vegetables, a sauce, a starch, and a garnish (minimum). I am given a limited list of ingredients to work with, which include fresh produce, dairy, herbs, spices, and dry goods. Here is what I came up with yesterday:

• Spice-Crusted Roasted Leg of Lamb (self-butchered)
• Blueberry Red Wine Sauce (sauce)
• Herbed Pommes Duchesse (starch)
• Butter Poached Carrot Curls (vegetable)
• Creamed Asparagus (mystery vegetable)
• Crispy Shallots (Garnish) 

It all turned out quite well and didn't take me too long to do - once I got the lamb meat off the bone. I didn't use recipes for any of it, just techniques I have learned and flavors I know work well together. 

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Once upon a time at a camp I attended in the summer, I opted for the vegetarian option and it was a vegetarian version of shepherd's pie, or what the French refer to as, 'Paté Chinoise'. The regular entrée wasn't even shepherd's pie, is was something completely different and I am guessing not great looking. But the shepherd's pie looked interesting and certainly intrigued me. It turned out to be a version I liked even better than the traditional. 

Shepherd's pie is traditional meat-laden (usually ground lamb or beef), filled with chopped hard-boiled eggs, mixed with vegetables in a creamy sauce, and topped with creamy, butter mashed potatoes and sometimes cheese. 

There are three vegetarian/vegan versions you could make. The first one would be as traditional as possible, just subbing the closest ingredient options (simulated ground beef crumbles, coconut cream sauce, mashed potatoes with vegan margarine). The second one, which is what I made, is not nearly as traditional, but actually much healthier. I used lentils (brown are a good option for looks, but I only had red on hand). I threw in whatever veggies I had and used lots of spice, and some oil and just a splash of cream for the sauce. Then I topped it with mashed sweet potato because I love them and they go so well with lentils, both taste-wise and nutritionally. A sprinkle of paprika, and dinner is served!!!

Champ

Champ are Irish mashed potatoes. They are speckled with green, which comes from the addition of thinly sliced green onions, but sometimes scallions, chives, or chopped parsley or cilantro are used instead or in addition to the onions. I also find champ are usually flavored heavily with garlic, and enhanced with lots of butter and milk or cream, as well as some salt and pepper. They are normally presented nicely in huge mounds, sometimes piped for a different look. Here is my champ recipe:

1.   Boil the desired amount of peeled mealy potatoes until tender. Drain.
2.   Mash well. The potatoes in champ should be quite smooth, with the texture coming from the greens only. It may help to whip or purée the potatoes.
3.  Mash in some butter and cream or milk, as well as garlic paste or finely minced garlic.
4.  Stir in the greens of choice, finely chopped.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. The potatoes may now be spooned into a serving dish or piped. If piped, ensure your greens are finely chopped so they do not get stuck in the piping tip.

Hashbrown Casserole

Hashbrown Casserole
2 packages frozen hashbrown potatoes
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup butter or had margarine, diced
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients in one large or two small casserole dishes, mixing well. Bake at 350◦F for 45-60 minutes until hot and cheese is melted. 

This casserole goes together really quickly once all ingreidents are prepped. The frozen hashbrowns and canned soup are big time savers, but to save even more time, buy pre-shredded cheese or use a food processor and grate the onion in there too while you are at it. This is a little something different you can do for a potato dish and seems to always go ever well. In addition, it makes plenty for a crowd and can be made in advance, refrigerated, and baked just before serving. Leftovers are tasty too. This is something like that hashbrown casserole with the crisp cornflake topping, which could easily be added here if desired. 

Snappy Scalloped Potatoes

This has become a new favorite potato recipe of mine. Honestly, I find it almost as easy as mashed potatoes, but in this form it is easier to make a larger batch and easier to hold them. I give them a good ninety minutes in the oven to ensure they are tender, and after that they can always be held at a lower temperature in the oven as well for awhile to keep warm. I find every scalloped potato recipe differs slightly. Some have cheese, some do not, some have onion, some are really creamy, some are thick, some are thin. This is an easy one using some onion, and a thinner cream sauce just to add a little moisture and some extra flavor. The presentation isn't great here, but the flavor is good and comforting!

Scalloped Potatoes
10 (approximately) large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
1 large (or two medium) white onions, sliced into thin rings (or diced)
1/4 cup butter or hard margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
4 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425◦F.
Arrange the potatoes and onions in a large, long rectangular baking sheet. There should be no more than three to four layers overlapping. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir. Stir in the milk and seasonings. Cook, stirring often, until mixture becomes a thick sauce. Pour over potatoes in pan. Seal pan with foil. Bake for about ninety minutes or so until tender. The potatoes must be sliced thin, but because they are layered, they will take a while to become tender. If they cook too quickly, you can always turn the oven down to simply keep them warm.

Potato Zucchini Hash

Potato Zucchini Hash
1 medium potato
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 large cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 large egg
seasoning as desired

Pierce the potato all over with a fork, place in a little water, cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Slice into wedges.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms and sauté for five minutes. Add the zucchini and potato and sauté a few more minutes until soft. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and crack and egg in the middle. Fry until cooked, then season as desired.

This is a really quick and easy one dish meal that incorporated a good dose of vegetables, a starch, and some protein with the egg. Sprinkle some cheese over top to incorporate some dairy as well. 

Dad's Steak

Meat and potatoes. The dream meal for many. Here is a grilled barbecue steak, some homemade, handcut, lightly salted, baked fries, and some sautéed onion and mushrooms. What a classic, comforting meal. Probably not the best for you, but I wouldn't exactly call it a heart attack on a plate either. Looking at this plate (it wasn't my plate) I notice that is a hunk of steak, and probably more than one serving size there. My father made this meal for himself as a treat on Father's Day, since he is the grilling master here, and is also really good at making home fries. I do believe my mother prepared the vegetables though. I am not a steak fan or a french fry fan, but I do enjoy home fries (and vegetables). 

My Home Fries

Since my grandfather is used to having fries with his liver, whenever he eats it in a restaurant, I decided to try making some fries for him. I wasn't about to take out the deep-fryer, as that is my father's territory. I decided to just make some fries in the oven. Basically I followed the same recipe I use to make homemade hashbrowns here: Hashbrowns.
The only real difference is I cut the potatoes into fry shapes instead of small cubes. This worked really well.
I peeled, rinsed, and sliced the potatoes, then covered them in water and brought them to a boil. I drained them and placed them on a baking sheet with a little oil and a light sprinkle of salt. Then I baked them on the top rack of the oven at 425◦F for about 25 minutes, flipping every ten minutes. The result was a batch of crispy, tasty fires that are not greasy at all. A healthier choice, but comparable to restaurant fries (and I don't mean fast food style). A great side dish, and easy too!