Side Dish

by

Roasted Red Potatoes, Celery Root and Turnip

I can remember going to Rose’s house for the holidays and praying that she would make her roasted potatoes for at least one of her dinners. One of the few times that my parents were right in their assumption that if we were not at their house with the grandson we were at Rose and Mike’s ahhhh the in-law game. My favorite part was picking the caramelized bits and pieces of the side of the roasting dish. Like picking at the Chinese food after the meal sitting around the table we would sit chat and pick at the little bits and pieces. Unlike Chinese food everyone would always be fighting over it.

Rose’s was a simple dish, I made some modifications to the ingredients and you can too that’s the fun with cooking.

Eastover Surf and Turf BBQ Rub Salmon, Grill NY Strip Steak, Roasted potatoes, carrot root, turnips and carrots, Fennel salad and asparagus.

Eastover Surf and Turf BBQ Rub Salmon, Grill NY Strip Steak, Roasted potatoes, Celery root, turnips and carrots, Fennel salad and asparagus.

Ingredients

Approximately:

  • 1 lb. of red potatoes

Red Potato

  • 1 Celery root ball about a pound

celery root

  • 1 turnip or 2 small ones.

turnip

  • 1 or 2 carrots just for color
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme or a good pinch or two of dried.(eyeball it)
  • I even added some Meyer lemon zest this time

How:

Preheat oven to 425

Peel the celery root and turnip. Cut potatoes, carrots, celery root and turnip into rough 1” pieces. Put all ingredients into a bowl add about olive oil to coat, just eyeball it and add fresh ground pepper, thyme, lemon zest and a little salt. I go light on the salt adding more after cooking, remember I am cutting back on salt. Note: I don’t use a lot of salt to begin with so cutting back is hard. Toss to coat and spread in one layer on a baking pan or in a roasting dish.

cut into 1 inch pieces and toss in olive oil salt and pepper and thyme

If you think it needs more olive oil add and toss again it does not need a huge amount maybe ¼ cup or less.

100_1506

Roast on middle rack for about 30 minutes and mix the vegetables, drop heat to 375 and continue roasting for 35-40 minutes until you believe they are done. I also turned on the broiler for about 5 minutes to crisp up at the end I like them crisper not hard just the outsides sort of crispy.

100_1526

About Celery Root

Celery root, also known as celeriac, is just what its name claims it to be: the root of the celery plant. This ugly brown hairball of a vegetable has a mild, celery-like flavor with a starchy, rather potato-like texture. It’s a surprising but winning combination. With “root” in its name, celery root is obviously a root vegetable. That means that it stores well, making it a real treat for local eaters in fall and winter.

Celery Root Season

Photo © Molly Watson

Celery root is often available year-round, especially in temperate climates, but is at its best in the cooler months of fall, winter, and early spring (except in cold climates, where you’ll find it during the summer and early fall). Freshly harvested celery root is sometimes sold with the stalks and leaves still attached, as pictured here.

How to Buy Celery Root

About 2

Photo © Molly Watson

Look for celery roots that feel heavy for their size. If any greenery or bits of stalk are discernible on the top of the root, they should be fresh looking and neither dried out nor slimy or wilted. Celery root are notoriously difficult to peel because of the hairy peel and its many nooks and crannies, so look for specimens with as smooth as exterior as possible (be warned: they only get so smooth).

If you see celeriac at the market with long bright green stalks still attached, snap them up! Freshly harvested celery root tends to be more tender and easier to peel. Pretty as the stalks are, be sure to cut them off and store them separately when you get the celery root home – both the root and the celery will last longer when stored separately.

How to Store Celery Root

Since celery root is a root vegetable, it stores well and for an amazingly long time if it is kept cool. Having spent most of its life underground, it also enjoys the dark. Kept loosely wrapped in plastic in the fridge it will last up to several weeks, even longer if it was freshly harvested.

For more information see Molly Watson’s article on celery root on About.com

Related articles
Crispy Shallots
by

Crispy Shallots

 

Ingredients

  • 1-2 shallots shaved into rings, used our new mandolin
  • I cup rice flour – gluten free which browns more quickly
  • Canal oil as needed.

Shallot bulbs

How

Heat canola oil in a small sauté pan. Toss shallots in rice flour, shaking off excess. Fry rings until crispy and lightly golden. Remove from oil and season with salt. Drain on paper towel. To be honest the first batch burnt, the second was not quite crispy enough, and the next batch was perfect. Sound like a familiar story to you? I used the 2nd and third batch tossed the first. Learned you got to watch them cause they turn real quick.

Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Crispy Shallots.
by

Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Crispy Shallots.

The first time I had something similar to this they served with herb goat cheese on a bed of arugula. We had on hand crumbled feta, cut up oranges, pumpkin seeds, served on a bed of mixed greens. In fact it was at Stonewall Kitchen cooking class and they made a salad very similar this is my adaptation using what we had on hand. Here is a good site to read about varieties of winter squash. There were 2 of us and this made one fine meal, I even skipped dessert that night which for some reason this last year I have become a dessert person so strange to me.

acorn-squash

I apologize I was so into cooking that I forgot to take a picture in the pan while cooking.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Acorn squash or any thin skinned winter squash – the thin skin allows you to eat it when cooked.
  • ¼- ½  cup hard apple cider – could use regular cider
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

100_1401

How:

Cut off the ends of the squash and scoop out the seed

Cut into ½ inch think rings.

Combine the sugar, salt, pepper and butter in a large bowl. Add the squash and coat.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and place the squash in a single layer. Add apple cider to pan. Allow squash to cook and apple cider to reduce until squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While pan roasting, turn the squash with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly.

Things I might try next time –

  • I think next time I might melt the combination making it easier to coat the squash.
  • My pan was a little too small so I ended up using half rings to fit.
  • Cooking in batches to retain the circles
  • I might try roasting and flipping a few times next time

100_1403

Hard Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup hard apple cider
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice (about ½ orange)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (used our 18 year old)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

How

Bring cider, juice and honey to a boil in a small saucepan.

Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.

Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, Dijon salt and pepper stir with a whisk. Gradually add the olive oil stirring constantly with a whisk. Set aside.

Crispy Shallots

Ingredients

  • 1-2 shallots shaved into rings, used our new mandolin
  • I cup rice flour – gluten free which browns more quickly
  • Canal oil as needed.

How

Heat canola oil in a small sauté pan. Toss shallots in rice flour, shaking off excess. Fry rings until crispy and lightly golden. Remove from oil and season with salt. Drain on paper towel. To be honest the first batch burnt, the second was not quite crispy enough, and the next batch was perfect. Sound like a familiar story to you? I used the 2nd and third batch tossed the first. Learned you got to watch them cause they turn real quick.

Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Crispy Shallots.

Related articles
Crispy Oven Baked Russet Fries
by

Crispy Oven Baked Russet Fries

Lyn got me a mandolin for my birthday and I have tried a few things, potato chips cut them to thin tried to bake did not quite work but tasted OK, onion work pretty good, and then French fries , I still have to get the hang of it I found it hard to slide the potato back and forth. The hold was too small and my fear of slicing my hand made me hesitate. I did manage to get through the potato but think next time I will try for smaller in length making the sliding easier. I made a promise to myself that this time I will keep up with it there is so much one can do with a mandolin. Anyway these fries came out pretty darn good.

Ingredients

  • 1 russet potato
  • Olive oil
  • Malt vinegar salt

 

How:

First I have to say two things I was cooking my snowy day chicken so the temp was pretty set at 450 degree convection and second I could not find the cookie sheet so I used a BBQ pan that had holes in it.

grill_pan_carbon_steel_baking_pan_bbq_summ

Using the mandolin create your fries.

Rinse in a bowl of cold water and thoroughly dry

Crispy Oven Baked Russet Fries

Place on micro wave plate and microwave 3 minutes on high

When cool to touch lightly toss in some olive, since your hands are covered with oil rub the pan to coat and then lay out the fries in single layer. It took about 30 minutes to brown up to a crunchy nice oven bake fry, I was satisfied.

Crispy Oven Baked Russet Fries

Remove from oven and sprinkle with the malt vinegar salt to taste.

Malt vinagar Sea Salt

 

BTW Lyn came in and asked why are you using that pan? Turned around and pulled the cookie sheet out but I got to say I think I am sold on the holey pan.

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips
by

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

Lyn got to choose 2 of her meals that are not from her strict diet this week, she reached her half way goal and that is what they do for you at that point. Let you taste real food as she calls it. Heck, it is working, every week she losses a pound or more and that is the good way it stays off. Now I like her just the way she is but get a Yes Dear look if I say something. Anyway she chose Pan Seared Sea Scallops but whole foods also had Haddock on sale and while surfing the net she found this recipe. As I am not that adventurous when it comes to fish, Haddock should be fish and chips, swordfish and tuna steaks should be grilled, salmon well there are a lot of ways that my palate  has been introduced to  so when she showed me this recipe I said why not give it a try on Sunday. It was our pregame meal which turned out to be disappointing, the game not the meal this was light, flaky and just right.

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

From BHG.com

Makes: 4 servings

Prep 20 minutes Bake 425° 20 minutes to 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen white fish fillets, about 1/2-inch thick
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, cut into ¼ to ½ inch sticks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or seafood seasoning
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Lemon wedges and fresh parsley (optional)
  • We added homemade Tatar sauce

How:

  1. Cut fish into 3 x 2-inch pieces. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cover and chill until needed.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil; lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  3. For chips, pat potatoes dry with paper towels; place sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, 1/2 tsp. chili powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on one half of the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, for fish, place milk in a shallow dish. Place flour in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish combine bread crumbs, 2 tsp. chili powder, paprika, 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Add melted butter; stir until combined.
  5. Dip fish pieces in milk; coat with flour. Dip again in the milk, then in the bread crumb mixture. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using a spatula, carefully turn potatoes over. Place fish on the other half of the hot baking sheet; return to oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until potatoes are golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, if desired.
Cut fish, prepare milk flour and bread crumbs

Cut fish, prepare milk flour and bread crumbs. Place the sweet potato fries in oven on 1/2 cookie sheet.

ready to cook 2

Dip in Milk, Flour back to Flour and then coat with bread crumbs

add the fish

Add the fish to the other half of cookie sheet and return to oven.

done

20-25 minutes until fries are golden brown and fish flakes with fork

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Chips

Serve it up

Other recipes from stevesacooking.com you might find interesting

Almond-Crusted Salmon

Dijon Myer Lemon Glazed Wild Salmon

Almond-Crusted Salmon

Grilled Salmon with Herb Crust

Big Fat Cod potato pancakes

Crispy Potato Latkes
by

Crispy Potato Latkes

Hey it’s the season and PK got me going, she asked if we still celebrated Xmaschunak or something like that. My answer not really.  Since Mikie has grown up and out of the house we have kind of slipped away from Jewish traditions.  Now Lyn’s eyes light up Xmas, Hanukkah, Birthday, Easter ………. I was not the religious one in my family but there were some things I loved and still do.  Patti asked don’t you miss latkes? I do, but I can’t or should not or don’t eat like I used to, I’m sort of a good boy now, do you have a good recipe, she had peaked my interest! She replied Baked!! She is working on one for me. Then today I got an email from America Test Kitchen and the second one down Crispy Potato Latkes. Does PK have that much influence?

Latkes: Every now and then I will cheat and these would be something nice to do it with. I used to love tator tots and while growing up, these to me was like giant squished tator tots.

Published November 1, 2012. From Cook’s Illustrated.

How to Video here

Latkes come in all shapes and sizes. But the goal is always the same: lightness throughout, with a creamy interior encased in a crisp shell. To re-create this traditional Hanukkah dish, we selected high-starch russet potatoes and discovered a simple technique that yielded perfect texture, both inside and out.

Why this recipe works:

We wanted latkes that were light and not greasy, with buttery soft interiors surrounded by a shatteringly crisp outer shell. To achieve all of these goals, we needed to remove as much water as possible from the potato shreds by wringing them out in a kitchen towel and to minimize the release of what remained by microwaving the shreds briefly to cause the starches in the potatoes to form a gel. With the water taken care of, the latkes crisped up quickly and absorbed minimal oil.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

We prefer shredding the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater, but you can also use the large shredding disk of a food processor; cut the potatoes into 2-inch lengths first so you are left with short shreds. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and shredded
  • 1/2 cup grated onion
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
  • Vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Toss potatoes, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl. Place half of potato mixture in center of dish towel. Gather ends together and twist tightly to drain as much liquid as possible, reserving liquid in liquid measuring cup. Transfer drained potato mixture to second bowl and repeat process with remaining potato mixture. Set potato liquid aside and let stand so starch settles to bottom, at least 5 minutes.
  2. Cover potato mixture and microwave until just warmed through but not hot, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring mixture with fork every 30 seconds. Spread potato mixture evenly over second rimmed baking sheet and let cool for 10 minutes. Don’t wash out bowl.
  3. Pour off water from reserved potato liquid, leaving potato starch in measuring cup. Add eggs and stir until smooth. Return cooled potato mixture to bowl. Add parsley, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and potato starch mixture and toss until evenly combined.
  4. Set wire rack in clean rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Heat 1/4-inch depth of oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking (350 degrees). Place 1/4-cup mound of potato mixture in oil and press with nonstick spatula into 1/3-inch-thick disk. Repeat until 5 latkes are in pan. Cook, adjusting heat so fat bubbles around latke edges, until golden brown on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels and transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, adding oil to maintain 1/4-inch depth and returning oil to 350 degrees between batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
  5. TO MAKE AHEAD: Cooled latkes can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and held at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Alternatively, they can be frozen on baking sheet until firm, transferred to zipper-lock bag, and frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat latkes in 375-degree oven until crisp and hot, 3 minutes per side for room-temperature latkes and 6 minutes per side for frozen latkes.
One thing to do with butternut squash when on sale
by

One thing to do with butternut squash when on sale

One of my fall favorites, Butternut Squash and Apple Soup then there is plain roasted, fries, replace sweet potato, mashed with a little butter and brown sugar, the list goes on. So when I saw that sale sign and a huge basket of butternut and acorn squash it was another case of my eyes were bigger than my menu. I had some room in the freezer so I did not panic just a quick blanch and freeze.

Mature winter squashes like the butternut have tough skin that protects their firm, yellow-orange flesh and allows them to last longer than their fleeting summer squash relatives. A butternut is so self-reliant that it doesn’t even need to be refrigerated, and can be stored in a cool dark place for several weeks. So how do you choose a good one? First, pick it up. It should be heavy for its size. Look it over and make sure its skin is firm and free of bruises. Check for brown frostbite scars, which can affect the squash’s texture and longevity, and punctures or cuts, which can let bacteria in and cause mold. I like to choose one with a longer neck, especially if I am cubing make life easier. www.cookthink.com

Ingredients

Butternut squash (Quantity depends on you)

 

How

Cut ends on and peel and scrap seeds out

Cut the squash into 1/2-inch cubes.

In a larger pot bring at least 8 cups of water to a full boil

 

Blanch the squash for about 3 minutes

Strain the squash in collider and then immediately put in large bowl of ice water to stop cooking

Place on a large cookie sheet and into the freezer until frozen about 30 minutes to an hour.

Place in freezer bag (we use Food Saver), suck it and back into the freezer.

Butternut squash is an edible member of the gourd family whose roots have been traced back to Mexico in 5500 B.C. (Along with beans and corn, squash is one of the “Three Sisters,” the cornerstones of Native American cuisine.)

A mature winter squash, it grows on a vine, and has a giant pear-shaped body, tough skin, rich-tasting, vivid yellow-orange flesh and a sweet flavor. (It can often substitute well for the sweet potato.) Butternut squash can be baked, steamed, puréed or simmered, and is often referred to by cooks as a “workhorse” because of its versatility. Once cooked, its dry flesh has a glossy and silky texture that makes it a favorite in soups, curries and other dishes. http://www.cookthink.com

 

The word “squash” comes from the Narragansett word that means “to eat raw or green.” You certainly won’t be eating your squash raw or green, and you must cook it even before you freeze it to make sure that the squash retains its color and texture once it is thawed. The process of cooking squash is called blanching. When you blanch squash, you boil it just long enough to stop the enzymes that cause squash to deteriorate. The process for preparing and blanching squash for freezing depends on whether you are freezing summer or winter squash. http://www.livestrong.com

Salt and Vinegar Broiled Fingerling Potatoes
by

Salt and Vinegar Broiled Fingerling Potatoes

Salt and Vinegar Broiled Fingerling Potatoes from Umami Girl

Lyn and I are on a Salt and Vinegar baked potato chip kick (Kettle Chips Baked)  so much so that we order directly a case at a time, individual size, my god a big bag would be too much we have no self-control once the bag is open. When I saw Umami Girl’s “Salt and Vinegar Broiled Fingerling Potatoes” on Pinterest I just had to try I like a good oven fried potatoes.

I made no changes but will try with malt vinegar.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness*
  • 2 cups white or malt vinegar
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • Pepper

How:

1. In a small pot, combine the potato slices and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool in liquid for 30 minutes. Then drain well and pat potatoes dry with paper towels.

2. Preheat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches below the heat source. Dump the potato slices onto a sheet pan, sprinkle very generously with olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer. Broil until lightly browned on top, about 7 minutes. Then flip the slices and broil until the underside is lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. Serve warm.

Roasted Potato Salad with Cilantro and Balsamic Vinaigrette
by

Roasted Potato Salad with Cilantro and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mother’s day we decided to try new things this was one from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen. As mentioned I did not have the watercress so substituted fresh cilantro and fresh ground pepper. I can see that watercress would add a noteworthy for a peppery, tangy flavor and be very nice but one works with what they have.

For a light lunch, toss this salad with chunks of grilled tuna, sliced Kalamata olives and roasted red bell peppers. Or sprinkle with toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and crumbled goat cheese, and serve as a first course to a winter meal.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb. small fingerlings, Yukon Gold or new potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 bunches watercress, large stems removed

Tweaks

  • I did not have so I used fresh cilantro from the garden instead
  • 8-10 fresh green beans cut in to bite size pieces
  • 5 cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ cup frozen corn

How:

Preheat an oven to 400º.

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet or a small roasting pan and roast until the potatoes are tender, golden and crisp, about 1 hour. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar (I used 18 year old) and mustard until blended. Add the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth and emulsified. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

In another small bowl combine the green beans, tomatoes and corn with 1-2 Tbsp. of vinaigrette set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, cilantro, green bean, tomatoes, corn and vinaigrette, to taste, and toss to mix.

   

              

by

Oven Roasted Steak Fries

I love French fires but all that oil gets to my stomach so I was always looking for an alternative. Rachel Ray gave me the idea I just change it up depending on what else I am cooking. Might as well make them complement my main meal right?

Ingredients

  • 3 medium russet potatoes washed, scrubbed and dried.
    • I have used sweet potatoes are good but they do not keep their firmness.
    • You can use any potato you want, some will work some won’t.
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Here is where you can change it up, choose
    • A few twist of fresh ground pepper to taste or
    • Herbs de Provence or
    • Crushed Rosemary, Basil and Thyme or
    • Vinegar salt or
    • Cayenne or
    • I think you get the idea, endless

How

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Leaving peel on, cut the potatoes lengthwise, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch wide. Combine the potatoes, oil, salt and your choice of herbs on the baking sheet and toss to combine. Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer, but evenly spaced so the potatoes aren’t touching. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes turning over about ¾ through. I have read some recipes that say that if the skin side is on bottom last they come out better but I just spread, bake and turn.