Au Gratin Potatoes →

The Old English word for thinly sliced potatoes is “collops”, hence the name Scalloped Potatoes, a popular British dish made with sliced potatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs in a cream sauce, sometimes topped with bread crumbs. In France, a similar dish is called Au Gratin Potatoes (Gratin de Pommes de Terre), the main difference being that the French dish uses cheese and cream to make a richer sauce and the potatoes are usually sliced thinner. Either way you make it, it’s pure comfort food! Here’s my version of this popular comforting dish. I hope you enjoy it.

CHEESY HERBED AU GRATIN POTATOES
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3-4 medium all-purpose potatoes peeled and sliced thin (about 1/16 inch; use the slicing blade on your food processor or a mandoline)

• 2-3 cloves garlic minced

• 1 medium onion chopped (a heaping ½ cup+)

• 1 tablespoon fresh sage minced

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 1/4 cup milk or half-and-half

• 2 teaspoons flour

• 1/2-3/4 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

• Salt and pepper

• Bread crumbs (optional)

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 425 and coat a 9 inch Pyrex pie plate or dish with butter.

1. Peel and slice the potatoes using the slicing blade of a food processor or a mandoline and place them in a bowl of water with a bit of salt to keep them from turning brown.

2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and saute for a minute, add the garlic, and continue to saute until the onion is translucent.

3. Add the flour and stir for a minute or two until well mixed with the onion mixture.

4. Stirring constantly, slowly add the milk and half the cheese, sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Continue to stir over low heat until the mixture thickens. (Do not boil.) Cover and set aside off the heat.

5. Strain the potatoes and pat dry. Add half the potatoes and half the warm sauce to the buttered pie plate; add the remaining potatoes and remaining sauce. Top with the remaining cheese and some freshly grated black pepper. (Optional: sprinkle with Panko bread crumbs.)

6. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2022

Savory Potato Soufflé →

Soufflé comes from the French word “soufflér” which means “to puff up” or “to blow up” (as in “to add air to”). The great French chef/restaurateur Antoine Beauvilliers is generally credited with developing the soufflé in the late 1700’s at the famous La Grande Taverne de Londres, with the dish becoming widely popular in upscale French restaurants by the mid-1800’s. Famous chefs like Julia Child, Pierre Franey, and Craig Claiborne popularized the soufflé in the U.S. in the 1960’s. The soufflé is most often associated with light, airy desserts like Chocolate Soufflé, but it can also be made savory and served with the main meal. Either way, the two basic components of any soufflé are a custard base of egg yokes and a frothy, airy meringue of whipped egg whites that creates the puffy texture of the dish. This recipe falls into the “savory soufflé” category and is a light, airy, delicious alternative to mashed, baked, or fried potatoes. Impressively puffed up when served hot out of the oven for a special meal, don’t be disappointed when your elegant creation gradually deflates as it cools much like a balloon with a slow leak. Not to worry, it’s not hot air that makes this soufflé delicious! Bon Appetit!

Savory Potato Soufflé
Serves 6
Special equipment: 6- 3 x 1 ¾ inch ramekins or a
9 x 7 inch oven-safe baking dish for serving family-style

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for brushing

• 3/4 pound baking or yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered

• 3/8 cup half-and-half

• 1/4 pound Gruyère cheese, shredded (a scant cup)

• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (Note: double the dried measurements if using fresh herbs)

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 3 large egg yokes

• 4 large egg whites

• Pinch of cream of tartar (if you don’t have cream of tartar on hand use 3-4 drops of lemon juice or white vinegar)

• fine bread crumbs or finely grated Parmesan cheese for dusting the ramekins

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375° F.

1. Butter the insides and bottoms of the ramekins generously and coat with finely ground bread crumbs or Parmesan cheese, pouring out excess crumbs that don't adhere to the sides and bottom of the ramekins.

2. In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Shake the pan over high heat to dry out the potatoes, about 1 minute. Add the tablespoon of butter and mash the potatoes. Stir in the half-and-half and let the potatoes cool slightly. Stir in the cheese and the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 3 beaten egg yolks. Transfer the potato mixture to a large bowl.

4. In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. (You want a light frothy mixture with soft peaks full of air bubbles that will give the soufflé its height. Don't over-beat the egg whites.)

5. Stir one-third of the beaten whites into the potato mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks of white remain. Don't press down on the mixture or you will lose the air bubbles from the egg whites. (The mixing motion should be: cut down, lift and fold, rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat, continuing until the mixture is well incorporated.)

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins filling each cup evenly about 3/4 full. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake in the bottom third of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the soufflé is puffed and lightly golden browned. If using a larger soufflé dish you will have to increase the cooking time to 40-45 minutes. (Note: if you cook the soufflé too long it will be dry.) Serve immediately.

*Note: for a more impressive presentation with more height to the soufflé, fill each ramekin evenly to the top rim and tie a 2-inch strip of parchment paper around the rim of the ramekin to prevent over-spilling as the soufflé cooks.)

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/herbed-potato-souffle

Iberian Roasted Potatoes →

I’m a big fan of oven-roasted potatoes and I love Portuguese red pepper paste condiment, so why not combine the two? Red pepper paste is a traditional Portuguese condiment that provides a distinctive flavor profile to many Portuguese dishes. Essential for “Porco Alentejana” or Mussels with Linguiça and Roasted Potatoes, and Turkey Kale and White Bean Soup. It is also great used as a marinade spread on grilled chicken or pork, to flavor seafoodMarinated Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Green Beans, or added to soups and sauces. It only takes a few minutes to make, keeps in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to a month, and will add an exciting new dimension to your culinary repertoire. Try it on roasted potatoes to accompany Lamb Chops with Jeréz Vinegar Sauce and Marinated Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Green Beans for an Iberian-inspired feast. Bom proveito!

Iberian Oven Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 large potatoes peeled and cut into ½ – ¾ inch pieces (I used Yukon Gold, but alternately you can also use small unpeeled red and white potatoes cut in half; just adjust the cooking time to allow for the larger pieces of potato to cook completely.)

• 1 tablespoon Portuguese Red Pepper Paste (recipe below)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped for garnish

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1. While the oven is preheating, peel and cut the potatoes into ½ – ¾ inch pieces.

2. Toss the potato chunks with the red pepper paste and olive oil.

3. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spread the potato pieces in a single layer on the pan.

4. Bake for 30-40 minutes stirring around a couple of times to ensure even browning. Potatoes are done when you can pierce them easily with a fork.

5. Optional: garnish with chopped parsley.

Portuguese Red Pepper Paste
Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika

• 2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika

• 1/4 cup dry red wine

• 8 to 10 garlic cloves

• 2 crumbled Turkish bay leaves

• 3 tablespoons store-bought or homemade tomato paste or 1 tablespoon double-concentrate tomato paste

• 1 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 7 sprigs cilantro

• 5 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley

• 1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

• a few dashes Piri-Piri sauce or other hot sauce to taste

• ¼ cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. In a food processor, combine the sweet paprika, sweet smoked paprika, wine, garlic, bay leaves, tomato paste, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, salt, pepper, and Piri-Piri or other hot sauce.

2. Pulse until the garlic and herbs are minced, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

3. With the motor still running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and continue processing until the mixture comes together in a slick, homogeneous paste, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Use the mixture immediately or spoon it into a small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to a month.

https://leitesculinaria.com/83003/recipes-red-pepper-paste.html

Roasted Root Vegetables →

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 large all purpose potatoes skins on

• 5 small purple potatoes skins on

• 2 carrots peeled

• 3 parsnips peeled

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1 tablespoon of fresh Rosemary ( or 1 teaspoon dried)

• 1 tablespoon of fresh Thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

• ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400.

1. Peel the parsnips and carrots

2. Cut all the vegetables into ½ inch thick bite size pieces and place in a large bowl

3. Add all but 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the vegetables and mix to coat

4. Add herbs, salt and pepper and mix well

5. Line a heavy sheet pan with tin foil and brush with olive oil or spray with vegetable spray

6. Add the vegetable and spread so the flat side of each piece is flat on the pan

7. Distribute the 5 cloves of garlic evenly over the vegetables

8. Place sheet pan with vegetables in bottom third of the oven and cook for 30 minutes.

9. After 30 minutes, stir the vegetables around on the sheet pan so they cook and brown evenly

10. Return to oven and cook for another 20-30 minutes stirring after 15 minutes.

11. Vegetables are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.

12. Remove from oven, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.
    

*Note: vegetables can be roasted up to 4 hours before the meal and stored loosely tented in an ovenproof baking dish. Reheat them before serving by placing the uncovered baking dish in the oven preheated to 400 for about 10-15 minutes. Check to make sure they are heated through before serving.

Adapted from a recipe from Bon Appétit December 2001