cheesy potato stacks

It is a gloomy, overcast day today in Minnesota - matching my mood lately.  But remembering this recipe from RecipeTin Eats got me into the tiny kitchen I have, and an hour later, eating these buttery potato stacks with a smile on my face.  

I decided to try using both the small red potatoes and the sweet potatoes I had in the cupboard - the last time I made them I think I used yellow Finns, I believe - and also to oil each cup with olive oil, the last time I made them they stuck to the tin.  On re-reading the recipe just now, I also missed the advice to put the topping cheese on after the stacks had baked, then briefly melting cheese on top, which would certainly be a little tidier:)  But it tasted as wonderful as the first time, if not quite photo-ready.

These are made in a metal muffin tin - regular size, not the Texas size I usually use.


Cheesy potato stacks:

A 12 hole metal muffin tin
olive oil for oiling

Several potatoes, not too large, no more than 2 inches in diameter, sliced fairly thin

The topping:
1/2 cup cream or half and half
4 tablespoons melted butter
kosher salt - about 1/2 teaspoon
freshly cracked pepper
1 + cup shredded cheddar or other melting cheese
fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem

Oil the muffin tin.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Slice the potatoes, not too thin, not too thick
Mix together the melted butter, salt, and pepper.

Stack the potato slices halfway up the muffin hole, add a hefty pinch of cheese, then stack the rest of the way up to the top. Drizzle with the cream/butter mixture.

Continue until the muffin tin is full.
Slide potato stacks into hot oven, and bake 35 minutes, or until stacks are soft when poked with a fork.
Remove stacks from oven, sprinkle with cheese and the thyme leaves, and slide back into the oven to melt the cheese - about five or so minutes.

Remove to cool, then carefully remove each stack to a platter or plate- I found a fork to work very well for this.

These are great for anytime - breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner side, or party food.

Hope you have a terrific day!

vichyssoise with fresh chives and thyme

What a wonderful way to celebrate my blog getting fixed (thank you, Kelci) - four distressing days I never want to go through again, when my account was suspended due to a questionable email I had gotten.  I was out for a walk two days ago, worrying and hyperventilating, when I saw my neighbor's two enormous chive plants and admired them.  She handed me some scissors and a plastic bag and told me to help myself, which I did -  then promptly celebrated with a pot of delicious vichyssoise.

This is the classic vichyssoise that you can also find in Julia's books:  when it's cold, it's vichyssoise, when it's served warm, it's potage parmentier - a smooth, creamy soup (though it only has 3 tablespoons of cream) that I sprinkle with fresh chives and thyme leaves - thyme being my favorite herb of all.  Served with a fresh green salad, it's a fine welcome to Spring.


To make:

3 cups sliced leeks (white only)
3 cups diced potatoes (I used small yellow potatoes)
3 cups light chicken broth
1 teaspoon or more kosher salt
a few thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons heavy cream


Simmer the leeks, potatoes, broth, salt and thyme sprigs in a large pot for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.
Remove thyme twigs from pot and toss.
Puree soup in blender or Cuisinart and return to cooking pot.
Swirl in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 4 tablespoons heavy cream and stir well.
Serve cold in mugs or bowls, sprinkled with minced chives and a few thyme leaves picked from their stems.

Happy Spring to you all!

potato-cheddar soup with fresh dill

February.  By now, everyone has the "Februaries" when you're tired of cold, ice, and snow.  Last year in New Hampshire, it was 20 below and 6 feet of snow outside.  Here in Minneapolis, there is only an icy trace of snow, lots of cold, cold, wind, and temperatures ranging from -7F to 35F lately.  This is when you start thumbing through gardening catalogues, dreaming of daffodils, sketching out a new herb garden, which will most definitely have a few feathery clumps of dill.

Which brings me to the sweet smelling bundle of dill I got at the market:  what to make?  Thumbing through The Silver Palate cookbook (an oldie but still a goodie), I landed on a creamy but hearty potato soup that called for a cup of chopped fresh dill.  How could I resist that, especially when it also listed two cups of grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese?  

While I followed the original recipe, I did halve it, and adjusted a few ingredients - a few more potatoes because I was using small red potatoes, a little more stock, omitted the carrots because I didn't have any, and added a little more cheese, because, well, you know how much I love sharp cheddar.  Delicious, creamy soup for the Februaries.

potato-cheddar soup with fresh dill

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped white onions

6 sprigs fresh Italian parsley

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 cups small halved baby red potatoes, or diced red potatoes

1 cup chopped fresh dill (you can use a few inches of stems as well)

2 cups grated/shredded extra sharp cheddar- I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp

salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot, then add the onions and cook over low heat, covered, until the onions are golden.

Add the parsley, stock, and potatoes to the onions and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are very soft, then add the dill.   Let the soup sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Pour the soup through a strainer and transfer the solids to a food processor, add a cup of the cooking liquid, then process into a smooth paste.

Return the puree to the pot and add the rest of the liquid and stir on low heat, slowly adding the cheese.  If you need more liquid, add a little at a time - it should be thick and creamy.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Delicious!

And speaking of delicious, look what my daughter got me for my birthday breakfast!

snowstorm breakfast: red potatoes with melted cheese, rosemary, and olive oil

Yes, it's snowing again.  It's supposed to snow all day, or turn to ice pellets, or perhaps sleet and heavy snow, bringing down the power lines.  

I'm fortifying myself with this winter breakfast - a warm and comforting plate of sliced baby potatoes, lots of olive oil, melted cheese, and rosemary.  I use the microwave (while I still have power), but I suppose you could do it in a toaster oven - I'm too impatient to wait.  I used the end of a block of mozzarella and some Monterey Jack, though if I had my choice I would probably use gruyere and mozzarella.

Drizzle olive oil on a heatproof platter or plate.
Add a few thin slices of cheese and microwave very briefly.
Layer with cooked, sliced baby potatoes.
Add more thin slices of cheese and drizzle with more olive oil.
Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, salt, and freshly ground pepper and microwave until melted and bubbling.  If you have a few cherry tomatoes, those are also wonderful but halve them or they will explode.

Just think - only two more days til March!  Stay warm and dry, wherever you are.

roasted rosemary potatoes

A lovely breezy day here, and the early mornings are finally cool again.  I've been working on some magazine articles for winter, and this morning seemed like a perfect time to shoot some pictures - with the added bonus of a late breakfast for me.  

I've made these for years, but lately, instead of just using russet potatoes, I'll use red potatoes, strips of leeks, slivers of onions, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, garlic cloves, or carrots - all tossed in a warm olive oil/butter and rosemary sprigged bath before roasting.  While it goes deliciously with roasted chicken or pork, it suits a summer dinner just as well. Fresh crabmeat comes to mind, and lobster with lemon juice and more melted butter - add a green salad and watermelon slices for a feast.

I used about 3 or 4 cups of vegetables today, so adjust the basting sauce as you need to.

The baste:

2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup non-virgin olive oil
1-2 T. fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from stems
Three or four 4" sprigs of fresh rosemary

Warm the basting mixture gently.  Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl.

Prepare all the vegetables.  I rarely peel potatoes, though I did peel the sweet potatoes as the skins looked tough. Cut into easily managed slices.  Place the vegetables in the bowl with the olive oil mixture, toss gently, and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 400F.

Arrange vegetables on a baking sheet with a lip ( also known as a jellyroll pan), pouring all the olive oil mixture onto the pan as well.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and slide into oven.  Set timer for 30 minutes.  After 20 minutes, stir the vegetables around a bit and return to oven.  Remove from oven when all vegetables are fork-tender, spoon onto a platter, and serve immediately.  I serve chunks of bread to mop up some of the juices on the platter - so good!

colcannon soup for St. Patrick's

And what would be under the lid of my lovely new birthday pot from my daughter? Mmmmm, something smells good!

Like many Americans, I can count many relatives on both sides of the family who were Irish ( Leary, Sullivan, Hughes (originally Welsh, but ended up in Ireland), O'Hanlon, among others) so of course I celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I often make colcannon, which is a cabbage and potato mash, but it's best hot and fresh, oozing with butter. I wanted something I could reheat, so I decided on a colcannon soup today: warm homemade chicken stock, leeks and baby potatoes, sweet green cabbage, and fresh dill and parsley.-, and of course, sweet unsalted butter, and a little olive oil. It was so good for lunch, I'll heat it up again for dinner, wishing I had photographs of all those ancestors I only know on the genealogy chart.

Makes about 4 servings:

1 cup sliced leek whites

1 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

4 cups chicken stock

about 9 small potatoes, sliced into thirds

1/2 t. thyme

2 cups sliced/shredded sweet green cabbage

kosher salt and fresh pepper

1/4 cup medium chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup medium minced fresh dill

1 cup medium cream

more butter to your taste(optional)

Saute the leek whites in the oil and butter for 15 minutes, then add the stock, potatoes, thyme, and cabbage and simmer until the potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes.

Toss in the cream, dill, and parsley, and remove from heat and cover. Stir, then let the colcannon soup steep for another 15 minutes, covered.

Taste the soup ( it will need salt), and adjust seasonings as you wish. Too late, I thought a little bacon or sausage might be nice in this, so let me know if you add some.

May the hill rise to greet you, friends, and enjoy your St. Patrick's Day!

What I'm watching:

In America

What I'm reading:

Proust was a Neuroscientist

parsnip chowder with bacon and parsley

The meeting house is bedecked with the most lovely wreaths and the cold temperatures are here to stay, though we've had a wonderful lingering Fall ( aside from those two freak snowstorms on Halloween and the day before Thanksgiving). Fall brings some very special seasonal vegetables from the garden, and when I saw a small bunch of parsnips at the winter farmers market, I snatched them up.

Parsnips look a little like hairy, white carrots, and they go very well with carrots, whether roasting or simmering. In New England, they are often mashed together as a wonderful side dish, both sweet-tasting, but the parsnip has an earthier, mellow flavor that is absolutely unique and delicious. Since parsnips are harvested after the frosts have arrived, they're probably not available to you if you live in a warmer climate.

One of my favorite chowders is this one - a handful of cubed potatoes, two handfuls of cubed parsnips, smoky bacon, and lots of Italian parsley. It cooks up quickly, so the flavor of the parsnip is preserved.

To make 2 or 3 servings:

1 cup diced, peeled parsnip

1/2 cup diced potato

1 T. chopped onion

pinch of thyme

1 1/2 cups water or thin broth

four or five strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup medium or heavy cream

1 t. unsalted butter

freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

Place the parsnip, onion, thyme and potato in a saucepan , along with the water or broth, and bring to a boil. Immediately turn heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the parsnips and potatoes are just soft.

Add the cream and butter, bacon, and parsley and bring barely to a simmer, taste, and add fresh pepper and kosher salt as you wish.

Happy December!

* what I'm reading:

Following Atticus

Unbroken

fresh corncob and codfish chowder with dill and sriracha

I hope you're having a beautiful day, wherever you are! Today was sunny and hot, but mornings are still lovely and cool - a perfect blend of weather.

I had been hoping to add some tiny yellow zucchini to this chowder, but my midnight thief struck again, neatly removing the 3 little zukes - and four raspberries I'd been hoping to have on my French toast this morning. I'm guessing a chipmunk, as I see them popping in and out of several holes in both the back and front yards.

The chowder I ended up making has the most delicious rounds of corn-on-the-cob that are wonderful to nibble on - and a special favorite of children. The fish is very fresh, and very mild, and I've skipped the cream you often see in chowders in New England. If you find very fresh fish but don't plan to use it right away, you can double wrap it in plastic and freeze it, and proceed as usual with the poaching even while it's still frozen another day. I had wanted to use fennel seeds in this, but they were nowhere to be found, so I opted for dill, oregano, and thyme - and a spark of hot sauce!

This makes four servings.

1 lb. fresh or frozen cod

3 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into rounds

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

3 medium white potatoes ( or you can use tiny whole ones) halved, then sliced

(I used California Longs)

1 T. fresh dill, de-stemmed

1 T. fresh oregano, rosemary, or thyme or tarragon

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup diced red pepper

kosher salt

dash of hot sauce ( I used Sriracha)

1 T. olive oil or unsalted butter

Place the fish in a non-aluminum skillet, then add water to about halfway up the fish . Bring to a simmer, add a little salt, and cover. Keep checking the fish until it separates into large flakes, then remove from heat and uncover. Set aside.

Place the sliced potatoes and onion, and the dill or rosemary or oregano in a saucepan, and add water until it just covers the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook til just tender.

Add the cup of chicken or vegetable stock to the potato mixture, then strain the fish stock into the soup pot as well.

Add the rounds of corn, the olive oil or butter, more salt and the hot sauce, and the red pepper and cook for just a few minutes. Turn the heat off and gently lower the fish into the pot, breaking it up gently with a fork. Taste for seasoning, and add more fresh dill before serving.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

Enjoy !

potage parmentier: leek and potato soup with fresh chives

Hurray for Spring! When a friend offered me some fresh chives from her garden, I showed up the next morning with scissors in hand. My own pitiful chive plants were still too small to cut, so I was delighted to see her exhuberant plants nearly ready to bloom.

A peek in the fridge showed the last of the leeks and those lovely baby potatoes, so on we go to the traditional leek and potato soup ( or potage parmentier) with the first fresh shower of chives sprinkled on top. My soup is not pure white, as is usual, since I don't bother peeling the baby potatoes - there wouldn't be much potato left if I did. And I do use a little of the pale green leek when making the soup, so if you want a very white soup, stick to just using the white parts. Sometimes I even add several teaspoons of minced chives when I puree the soup, which makes it even more green ( see above), but the chive/oniony flavor is more pronounced done that way. So I stick to a little sprinkle of chives on top, and pass the little dish of minced chives for those who want a more intense chive flavor. And to celebrate the huge spread of violets over the lawn, I added those pretty little flowers to each plate.

To make 4 servings:

2 cups washed and sliced leeks

Trim each leek, then cut into 4 inch pieces. Cut the pieces lengthwise, and rinse under running water to get the sand and dirt out. When clean, cut the leeks into 1 1/2 inch pieces and continue with recipe.

2 cups sliced baby potatoes

4 cups light chicken or vegetable stock

1 t. thyme

1 t. unsalted butter

1/2 t. kosher salt

Place the leeks and potatoes in a pot, and add the stock, thyme, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, and cover with a lid slightly askew, so some of the steam escapes. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Let the soup cool a little, then use an immersion blender or a regular blender. If you use a regular blender, fill the blender only halfway and puree carefully, then do the next batch. When it's hot, you're liable to get a little messy explosion of soup.

To finish:

3 T. or so of finely minced chives for sprinkling

1/2 cup medium cream

kosher salt to taste

a pinch more of thyme if desired

Potage Parmentier is meant to be served warm - if you serve it at room temperature or chilled, it is then called Vichyssoise.

Serve with a nice fresh arugula & violet flower salad . Just make sure the violets aren't growing on a chemically treated lawn, and no cute little puppies have been watering the lawn:)

Enjoy!

smashed potatoes with fresh dill and curry Flor de Sal

With St. Patrick's Day the day after tomorrow, how could I not blog about my fondness for potatoes ? Baked, boiled, smashed, sauteed, pureed, chipped and sometimes added to a fry up, potatoes are my one carb weakness that assures I will not ever be able to stay on the South Beach diet. At least I've discovered those small bags of baby potatoes, which helps with the portion control. But any day, I'd choose potatoes over pasta or rice. And my favorite herb with potatoes is always fresh dill. I make French Potato salad with dill, Corn Chowder with dill, and my latest, One Pot Chicken with tiny potato balls carved out of big white potatoes with a melon baller. They're extremely cute.

Smashed potatoes have been out and about on blogs and in magazines lately, so I finally decided to make them. I made them plain, with just dill and salt and pepper, with browned butter and with olive oil, sprinkled with dill just before serving - then my favorite, which was with both browned butter and olive oil. Just to make sure I wouldn't starve, I also boiled up some wee potatoes, rolled them in olive oil, and sprinkled those with fresh dill, too. My blessed daughter had just surprised me with a lovely bag of food goodies for my birthday, including curry Flor de Sal, so I tried that as well. Is it any surprise I loved them all?

To make any of these dishes, you start with about a pound (half a 2 lb bag) of tiny potatoes. Sometimes they're labeled "creamers". I picked up some baby Idaho potatoes for these recipes, all about the size of Bantam eggs.

Smashed Potatoes for two:

1 pound baby potatoes

1 T. fresh dill, snipped

kosher salt and/or Flor de Sal

fresh pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

or

1 T. butter

or both the butter AND the olive oil.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.

At a slow boil, cook potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender, then drain.

Using the same hot saucepan, melt the butter and oil together, set aside.

Using the bottom of a glass, gently press down on each potato until it is slightly

flattened.

Using a spatula, place potatoes on a toaster oven pan, then spoon a little of the olive oil and butter on each smashed potato.

Cook at 400F for 20 minutes, remove, sprinkle with salt , pepper, and dill and serve while still hot.

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For the Flor de Sal smashed potatoes:

Smash potatoes, drizzle with olive oil/butter, then sprinkle about 1'4 t. Flor de Sal on each little potato. Bake as above, at 400F for 20 minutes, then remove and serve. I skipped the dill on these.

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For the plain baby potatoes:

Boil as above, drain, and melt the olive oil and butter in the still warm saucepan you used for the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the oil and butter, and roll them around until coated well. Turn the heat up a little and do a quick saute, then scoop onto plates and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the freshly snipped dill. Serve instantly.

Enjoy!

backpack chicken with rosemary, potatoes, and baby carrots

Ummmmm, the scent of chicken and rosemary sizzling in the fire, unwrapping the packet, inhaling the deliciousness of dinner in the open air. Is this some upscale Tuscan eatery, perfuming the air with herbs and vegetables, chicken, and brown butter? Surprise! It's the dinner I concocted with my wee little lads as a Cub Scout Den Leader.

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When my son was in first grade, he had moved to a private school. I had hoped to find a way for him to stay in contact with his friends in public school, and when a friend asked if I'd be interested in being a Cub Scout Leader, I thought, why not?

~

I found the program to be endlessly creative. Once signed on as a leader, I took the boys to visit with a delightful fly fisherman, who made his own lures. We prowled the huge field nearby, gathering wild herbs and greens to nibble. A friend who had lived in Alaska came by, with menus of Alaskan treats, homemade clothing, and stunning photos of salmon fishing in the way-back, outback. We made an outstanding gumbo in February to celebrate Fat Tuesday, and we made this ever popular dinner packet that takes all of 20 minutes from start to glorious finish. Yum yum.

You can make these in your weensy little outside barbeque, or right in your fireplace, or, I suppose, in your Grande BBQ grill.

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To make:

For each packet, you will need two pieces of aluminum foil.

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Set out the squares of foil, setting one on top of the other.

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Add 3-4 medium slices of potatoes onto the foil.

Top with 3 chicken tenders.

Add a good sprig of rosemary, and a slice or two of onion.

Add several matchsticks of carrots, and salt, pepper, and a pat of butter.

Firmly close the foil, tucking in all the ends.

Throw packet into the fire and set timer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, unwrap and enjoy!

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You might also enjoy:

Breakfast on the Terrace: Blueberry muffins with toasted walnuts

and for this chilly weather - Sweet Corn Chowder with dill

garlic and rosemary potatoes for breakfast

What a great way to start this rainy day! Peeled potatoes are sliced thickly and parboiled. Drain and let dry, then brush with clarified butter ( so they won't burn) and place in a 400F oven for half an hour. Turn and sprinkle with coarse salt, fresh rosemary, and finely diced garlic. Place back in oven and cook another 15 minutes, or slide under a broiler until gently browned.

Serve with a smile.

Enjoy your day!

* To clarify butter:

Place unsalted butter, cut in pieces, into a small saucepan. Turn heat to medium and melt butter gently. When the butter foams up, skim off the foam and remove from heat. Carefully pour off the melted butter into a container, leaving the milky residue in the bottom of the pan. That milky residue is what can turn butter brown when heated, then black and bitter. Clarified butter has a marvelous toasty taste, and can be used for cooking at higher temperatures ( like sauteing) without burning.