Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Adapted from Patricia Wells` book ”Bistro Cooking” (Workman Publishing, $12.95), this recipe employs a French tradition of double-cooking potatoes, first in milk, then in cream and cheese.
3 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled, thinly sliced
2 cups milk
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 bay leaves
Freshly grated nutmeg, freshly ground pepper
1 cup creme fraiche or whipping cream
2 cups grated Swiss or French Gruyere cheese
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a 14- by 9-inch gratin dish.
2. Put potatoes in large pan and cover with milk and 2 cups water. Add garlic, salt and bay leaves. Heat to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so potatoes do not stick to bottom of pan. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.
3. Use slotted spoon to transfer half of potatoes to baking dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg, pepper, half of creme fraiche, and half of cheese. Cover with remaining potatoes and sprinkle with nutmeg, pepper and remaining creme fraiche and cheese.
4. Bake until crisp and golden on top, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.
CREAM OF POTATO AND SMOKED HERRING SOUP
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This recipe is served by chef Jean Joho at The Everest Room with an indulgent amount of osetra caviar. You can omit the caviar, though, and the soup still will be rich and full flavored.
1 whole smoked herring, 12 ounces
1 large russet potato, 1 pound, peeled, sliced
1 quart vegetable stock or 2 cups each: water, clam juice
1/4 cup cre me frai che or sour cream
Salt, pepper, freshly grated nutmeg to taste
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish: Fresh chives, caviar
1. Remove flesh from fish by peeling away skin and removing bones. Reserve 1/4 of flesh and transfer rest to 3-quart pan. Add potato and stock and heat to boil. Cover and simmer until potato is tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Strain solids from liquid. Pure e solids in a food processor or blender. Combine with reserved liquid and press through strainer. Stir in creme fraiche and salt, pepper and nutmeg.
3. Puree reserved herring with butter and lemon juice.
4. Reheat soup, whisking in butter. Serve with chives and a small spoonful of caviar.
OPEN-FACED POTATO OMELET
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
This recipe, adapted from James McNair`s ”Potatoes,” can be served in wedges for a light lunch or supper or cut into bite-sized pieces and served as tapas. The potatoes and onions can be cooked several hours in advance and held at room temperature if desired. It is especially good made with yellow potatoes.
2 pounds potatoes
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup each: safflower oil, fruity olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
6 eggs
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Thin red pepper strips, soaked in ice water until curled
1. Peel potatoes and cut into tiny cubes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry.
2. Combine both oils in large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to paper toweling and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add onion to same pan. Cook 12 minutes. Add minced red pepper;
continue cooking until onions are soft and golden, about 12 more minutes. Drain onion and red pepper as much as possible and set aside. Wipe out pan with a paper towel.
4. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Stir in potatoes, onion mixture, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Melt butter in same pan over medium heat, until frothy. Add egg mixture. Turn heat to low and cook gently until omelet is set except for the top, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn omelet by placing large plate over skillet and inverting. Slide back into skillet and cook until eggs on bottom are set, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Or, do not invert omelet; rather transfer to broiler and cook just until set. Loosen from pan and slide onto serving plate. Garnish with red pepper strips.
LIGHT MASHED YUKON GOLDS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Avid fans of the Yukon Gold potato say that adding butter or cream is redundant. This recipe for mashed potatoes strengthens their argument. With only the addition of low-fat buttermilk, the potatoes are creamy and rich-tasting.
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced chives
1. Boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Place over low heat for a minute to dry any moisture.
2. Still over low heat, start to mash potatoes with a hand mixer. Add buttermilk and mash until very smooth. Add salt, pepper and chives. Serve immediately.
MULTICOLORED HASH BROWNS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Three kinds of potatoes make for a colorful and fun presentation. If purple potatoes aren`t available, use 4 ounces more of sweet potatoes and yellow potatoes.
1 large leek
3 tablespoons each: unsalted butter, safflower oil
1 large red or yellow pepper, diced
8 ounces each: sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, purple potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Crushed red pepper flakes
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Slit leek lengthwise almost to root. Turn leek 45 degrees and slit again. Fan leaves open and rinse under cold water. Pat dry and cut into 1/2- inch slices.
2. Melt butter with oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook gently until tender and lightly browned at edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Add red pepper and cook 2 minutes longer.
3. Add potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper. Increase heat slightly and cook until potatoes are crisp and brown. Add parsley and serve immediately.
