potatoes – TasteFood

gluten-free, side dish, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Herb and Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes

September 16, 2019September 16, 2019by Lynda Balslev

These baked potatoes are not a hassle:

I can’t think of a better way to prepare a potato than hasselback-style. You may have seen these baked potatoes, with their distinctive accordion pattern. Thinly sliced, but still intact, the flesh is exposed while creating a cascade of ridges and edges ready to crisp. As the potato bakes, a flavorful basting sauce dribbles into the potato, flavoring the interior while hastening the browning of the skin. Apparently, you can have your baked potato and your crisps and eat them as one.

Russet potatoes, large Yukon Gold potatoes and sweet potatoes are all fair game for hasselback-style. The key to the prep is to first thinly slice a piece of each potato base lengthwise to stabilize them, so they won’t wobble or tilt while baking. Then cut thin slices crosswise, 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick, nearly to the bottom without cutting through the base. A trick to doing this is to lay 2 chopsticks, or 2 thin cutting boards lengthwise on either side of the potato, to act as a buffer for the knife as it cuts through the potato, and prevent it from reaching the work surface.

Then, brush the potato all over and in the crevices with a melted butter basting sauce, and continue to baste the potato once or twice while it bakes. About halfway through the baking process you can gently fan the slices to spread the potato further open to expose to the interior. If some of the slices break off, no worries! They will be delicious chips on the side.

Herb and Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Serves: 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra for finishing
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for finishing
1/4 cup finely grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, and/or chives

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut a very thin slice lengthwise from the bottom of each potato to stabilize the bottom. Cut each potato, crosswise, as thinly as possible, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, to about 1/4 inch from the bottom, without piercing the base. Place in a baking pan or cast iron pan.
3. Melt the butter with the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the garlic, salt, and pepper and remove from the heat. Brush the potatoes all over and in the crevices with some of the butter mixture.
4. Transfer to the oven and bake until the potatoes are tender and beginning to crisp, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the potatoes, basting once or twice with the butter. In the last 10 minutes or so of cooking, sprinkle with the cheese and continue to bake until the cheese is melted.
5. Remove from the oven and immediately brush all over with the remaining butter. Season with additional salt and black pepper and sprinkle with the herbs.

Chicken, Farmers Market, gluten-free, Main Course

Farmer’s Market Roasted Chicken Dinner

March 21, 2016July 22, 2018by Lynda Balslev1 Comment

Springtime Bounty

A trip to the farmers market yielded the ingredients to inspire and assemble this dinner. It didn’t require much: one chicken, a bunch of green garlic, potatoes, and lambs lettuce. A good glugg of olive oil, a head of garlic, and a lemon plucked from our tree was all that was needed to bring this meal together – and a skillet and a grill.

Green garlic is young garlic which resemble thick spring onions. Its buttery and mild flavor is amplified when roasted and braised. In this preparation, the green garlic’s bulbs and white stalks are tucked under a whole chicken which nestles in a skillet between hunks of potatoes and a garlic head while roasting. For serving, the reserved green garlic tips are chopped and tumbled with lemon zest, oil and a pinch of sea salt, for a bright gremolata garnish – making sure that the garlic stalks are completely put to use. A fresh lambs lettuce salad, simply dressed with lemon and olive oil, surrounds the chicken, mingling with the pan juices which are redolent with the buttery roasted garlic cloves. One stop shopping and dinner at its best.

Roasted Chicken Platter with Potatoes, Garlic Scapes and Lemony Lambs Lettuce

The beauty of this recipe is its ease of preparation and one-skillet method. The veggies and chicken roast together – either on the grill or in the oven. Other vegetables such as onions and carrots may easily be substituted. Serves 4.

1 (4 pound) whole chicken
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound garlic scapes
1 pound small yukon gold potatoes, halved crosswise
1 large head of garlic, outer layers of skin removed, top trimmed by 1/4 inch to expose the cloves.
1 untreated lemon, halved

Salad:
6 ounces lambs lettuce (mâche)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. If you have time, season the chicken all over including inside the cavity with salt. Place in a bowl or on a rimmed dish and refrigerate uncovered for a few hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Drizzle and coat with olive oil. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
2. Prepare a grill for indirect cooking over medium-high heat (about 400°F/ 200°C). If using an oven, preheat to 400°F.
3. Snip off the green stalks of the garlic scapes and set aside. Place the bulbs, the potatoes and garlic head in a large bowl. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat, then dump the vegetables into a large cast iron skillet (or grill-proof baking dish). Nestle the chicken into the center of the vegetables, breast-side up. Roast over indirect medium-high heat until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, basting occasionally with pan juices and rotating the pan from time to time to ensure even cooking. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 15 minutes.
4. While the chicken rests, squeeze the roasted garlic into the pan and gently mix around to combine with the juices and vegetables.
5. Make the gremolata: Finely chop the green garlic tips and place in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
6. Make the salad: Place the lambs lettuce in a large bowl. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, mustard and salt in a small bowl. Add to the lambs lettuce and toss to coat.
7. Spread the salad around the rim of a large platter, leaving the center clear for the chicken. Carve the chicken into serving pieces and arrange in the center of the platter. Scatter the roasted potatoes and garlic scapes around the chicken. Spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken and vegetables and sprinkle with the gremolata.

gluten-free, side dish, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Simple Roasted Potatoes with Thyme and Sea Salt

February 8, 2016July 22, 2018by Lynda Balslev6 Comments

Sometimes it’s necessary to state the obvious. These roasted potatoes are a standard accompaniment to meat and fish. They may be predictable, but they are also a classy reflection of simplicity. The ingredients are minimal (it’s all about the potato) and the method is easy (toss and roast). The results are, well, obvious: delicious crispy, salt-tinged potatoes. That’s the kind of predictability I will rely on any day of the week.

Roasted Potatoes with Sea Salt and Thyme

Salt the potatoes just before roasting to prevent them from exuding water.
Serves 4 as a side dish.

1 1/2 pounds small or new organic potatoes, with skin
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 thyme sprigs
Sea salt flakes for garnish
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Quarter the potatoes (or halve if very small) and place in a large bowl with the garlic. Drizzle the oil over the potatoes and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Dump the potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread evenly. Scatter the thyme sprigs around the potatoes. Place the baking tray on the lowest rack in the oven and bake 30 minutes without disturbing. Move the baking tray to the top half of the oven and continue to bake until tender and golden, 20 to 30 minutes more. Remove and transfer the potatoes to a bowl. Pour in an extra glugg of oil and stir to coat. Garnish with additional sea salt and fresh snipped thyme leaves.

Chicken, gluten-free, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry, Uncategorized

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Yogurt, Lemon and Garlic

March 29, 2012April 4, 2019by Lynda Balslev11 Comments

If you are wishing for an easy and rewarding rustic dinner then look no further than this roast chicken. A whole roasted chicken is a weeknight wonder, yielding a bounty of food with little effort. It will fill your home with comforting and tantalizing aromas as it cooks, amply feed a family of 4 with leftovers for lunch, and bestow you with the goods for a rich and restorative stock.

I roast a chicken nearly weekly in our home. For variety, it’s easy to change it up with a rub or marinade depending on the mood or season. Feeling spicy? Then try a marinade with Sriracha and serve over a bed of couscous. Prefer something cozy and traditional for a grey and rainy day? Then keep it simple with olive oil, rosemary, thyme and a pan gravy. If you are in the mood for exotic spice and aroma, like I was the other day, then try this recipe which infuses the bird with yogurt, lemon, garlic and ginger.

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Yogurt, Lemon and Garlic

Serve with baby potatoes roasted in the pan juices. Serves 4 to 6.

For the chicken:
1 whole free-range or organic chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup whole milk Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

For the potatoes:
2 pounds baby potatoes, halved if large
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt

Thirty minutes before roasting, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 425 F. Rinse the chicken all over and inside the cavity with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Rub the paste all over the outside of the chicken, between the skin and breast, and inside the cavity. Place, breast-side up, in the center of a baking pan or oven proof skillet.

Prepare the potatoes: Toss the potatoes, olive oil, paprika and salt in a bowl. Scatter around the chicken. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Using tongs, carefully turn the chicken over, breast-side down. Stir the potatoes. Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and once again turn the chicken over, breast-side up. Return to oven and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked and thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving. While the chicken is resting, return potatoes to oven to keep warm. Carve the chicken and return to skillet, nestling the meat between the potatoes in the pan juices.

Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Roasted Potatoes with Sea Salt and Thyme

June 4, 2011August 27, 2020by Lynda Balslev31 Comments

~
Sometimes it’s necessary to state the obvious. These roasted potatoes are a simple side dish, a predictable accompaniment to meats and fish. An obvious choice, yes, but also an elegant reflection of simplicity and a delectable sum of its ingredients. Predictability can be reassuring. And these days it’s nice to have a little predictability to rely on – especially when it looks and tastes as good as this.

Roasted Potatoes with Sea Salt and Thyme
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 1/2 pounds small or new potatoes, with skin
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3-4 thyme sprigs, plus extra for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 F. Quarter potatoes and place in a large bowl with the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss again. Dump the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter the thyme sprigs around the potatoes. Place baking tray on lowest rack in the oven. Bake 30 minutes without disturbing. Move baking tray to top half of the oven and continue to bake another 30 minutes. Remove and transfer potatoes to a bowl. Garnish with additional sea salt and thyme sprigs.

Autumn, Fall, Christmas, gluten-free, Thanksgiving, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Smashed Potatoes and Celery Root with Horseradish and Parmesan

October 3, 2010January 28, 2021by Lynda Balslev11 Comments

Celery root teams up with potato and spicy horseradish for a satisfying smash. Popular in Europe and less used in the U.S., celery root, also known as celeriac, is the dark horse of tubers. Don’t let it’s gnarly, bulbous exterior put you off. Once you peel away the skin a milky white interior is revealed, fragrant with celery. Its smooth and mellow flavor adds a delightful dimension to mashed potatoes, gratins, soups and stews.

Smashed Potatoes with Celery Root and Horseradish and Parmesan

Nutrient-rich potato skins fleck this side dish, adding flavor and texture. Peel the potatoes if you prefer a smoother texture. Serves 6-8.

1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds celery root, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
Bouquet garni: 1 bay leaf and 3 thyme sprigs, tied in cheese cloth with kitchen string
Salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
3 tablespoons finely grated fresh horseradish, divided
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine potatoes and celery root in large pot. Cover with cold water. Add bouquet garni and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered until potatoes and celery root are very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Transfer to a large bowl. Add butter and smash with a potato masher. Stir in sour cream, 2 tablespoons horseradish, 1 tablespoon cheese and black pepper. Add more salt to taste. Transfer potatoes to a buttered casserole or baking dish. (Potatoes may be prepared up to one day in advance to this point. Let cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish with 2 tablespoons cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle over top of potatoes. Bake in oven until top is tinged golden brown and potatoes are heated through, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Barbeque, Grilling, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon and Mint

May 30, 2010August 4, 2014by Lynda Balslev4 Comments

Do not underestimate the power of the side dish. Roasted potatoes are meat’s best friend and a dependable side kick in any season. I serve these potatoes frequently when it’s summer and fresh mint is abundant. The grill is always going, these potatoes are a perfect accompaniment to grilled meat, chicken and fish. The fresh mint and lemon elevate the mild red potato and perfume it with flavor. Be sure to toss the potatoes with the garlic, lemon and mint when they are warm from the oven, so the heat will coax out the aroma of the garnishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Potatoes with Mint, Lemon and Garlic
Serves 6-8 as a side dish

2 pounds (1 kg.) baby red potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C). Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in one layer in a baking pan. Roast in oven one hour. Transfer potatoes to serving bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and mint. Serve immediately or cool slightly.

Uncategorized

Cheddar and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

February 1, 2010August 1, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

(Do not read further if you are on a diet.)

These potatoes are wickedly good. Until now they have been linked to other recipes as an accompaniment on TasteFood, but it’s high time they get their own post. I have often found mashed potatoes bland in flavor and boring in texture, half-heartedly nibbling spoonful after spoonful in search of an extra something that’s missing. These potatoes are my answer to this conundrum. These potatoes are chunky and rich, flecked with potato skin and onion, and finished with melted cheese on top. Cream cheese, sour cream and butter bind and elevate the potatoes, while garlic adds depth and oomph to the flavor. There are some members of our family who are lobbying to call this a main course, not a side dish. Need I say more?

Cheddar and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Serves 6-8

3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 small yellow onion, grated, with juices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Butter a 3 quart baking or gratin pan. Quarter potatoes. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until tender; drain. Return potatoes to pot. Smash potatoes with a potato masher. Add cream cheese and continue to smash potatoes until cream cheese is incorporated. Add sour cream and butter and mix well to combine with a wooden spoon. Add onion and garlic. Stir in 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer potatoes to baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake until heated through and top is golden, about 30 minutes.

Barbeque, Grilling, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Mint and Lemon Zest

July 8, 2009July 30, 2014by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

Roasted potatoes are meat’s best friend. I serve these potatoes frequently when it’s summer and fresh mint is abundant. The grill is always going, and this recipe is a perfect accompaniment with grilled meat, chicken and fish. Toss the warm potatoes when they come out of the oven with the crushed garlic, lemon zest and mint, and let the heat of the potatoes coax the aroma out of the garlic, lemon and mint. Serve immediately or allow to cool slightly before eating.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic, Mint and Lemon Zest

2 lb. (1 kg.) baby red potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves,
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.)
Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in one layer in a baking pan. Roast in oven one hour. Transfer potatoes to serving bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and mint. Serve immediately or slightly cooled.