Ina Garten's Mustard Roasted Potatoes

If you can believe it, I have had this recipe on my list of things to cook for almost three years, and I only just now got around to trying it. This is so sad, because these potatoes are UH-MAY-ZING. I have cooked many a so-so dish over the past three years, and I really wish I had made these instead, because they are hands down some of the delicious, flavorful potatoes I have ever had. I want to run away with them and get married and live happily ever after, I love them so. Is that enthusiastic enough of an endorsement? Are you convinced? Maybe you need a man to tell you what's what. If that's the case, here's Nate's opinion:

"The mustard seeds lent an lighter yet deeper flavor. It made them different than just...mustard, but, much more interesting. They needed to be cooked longer. They were good. I don't know. Do you want your wine? What, are my comments not enough? It's what I got right now. Oh, wait, you should tell them those spots on the potatoes are mustard seeds. I saw them and I was like, what the heck is this on my potatoes? You should definitely tell them that."

There you go. Lighter yet deeper flavor people. And also, they were good. He's a real Don Draper, that one, am I right?? ;)

We thought these were spectacular with steak, and I think it helps to use a really high quality mustard. Definitely making again!

Ina Garten's Mustard Roasted Potatoes
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Nate's "they needed to be cooked longer" comment was due to the fact that I pulled the potatoes out early so he could eat them WITH HIS STEAK before he left for his book club. His life is so hard, isn't it?

Ingredients
2.5 lbs small flavorful potatoes, such as red or Yukon Gold
1 onion (white or yellow)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Scrub and dry potatoes, slice into wedges, and place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking dish.

2. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, whole grain mustard, salt, pepper, and parsley. Pour over potatoes, and toss to coat. Bake in preheated oven 30 - 40 minutes, until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork, and are crisp around the edges. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and enjoy!

Warm Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic

It's another rainy day here in southern California, and to be honest, I couldn't be more pleased. I LOVE rain. I love the sound it makes, the way it leaves the air so pure, and the earth so fresh and green. We haven't had a good rainy season here since at least 2005, so this is a rare treat and a blessing. I want to revel in every minute of it and treat myself to as many warm cups of tea, lazy afternoons snuggled up with a blanket and a good book, and winter comfort foods as possible!



Now if you live anywhere else in the world other than California, you are probably snowbound, grumbling about heating bills, and rolling your eyes right now. I know, I know. We have year round perfect weather, WE POOR CALIFORNIANS. Boo hoo us, right? I'm sorry. We make up for it with horrendous traffic, smog, and outrageous housing costs. Does that make you feel better? I thought so.

On to the food! This potato dish is something I have had on my "Cook this!" list for at least a year, and I don't know why I waited so long, because it is fantastic! If you like garlic (oh! I do!) and if you like goat cheese (oh! I really, really do!) you are going to love this. Meltingly tender with a tang of goat cheese and the rich roundness of garlic and cream.





Warm Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic
Adapted from Epicurious.com

I suppose you can use any potato for this, but I love the Yukon Gold potatoes especially, and rumor has it they are better for you too. Of course, the FULL CUP OF CREAM might negate that, but who's counting anyway? Besides, beach season is soooo far away, and it's cold NOW. So lets enjoy warm comforting dishes now, and leave the calorie counting to, oh, May. Deal?

This is also one of those recipes that are impossible to get pictures of. It's always eaten up before I can get a shot! I have made this over and over again since we first tried it at Christmas, and this is the first time I was able to get pictures. So don't expect there to be leftovers, because it goes fast!


Ingredients
3-4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cream
5 oz soft fresh goat cheese (about 1 cup crumbled)
8 - 10 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take 8 - 10 garlic cloves...


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...and finely mince them.



Now get 3-4 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes...



... and peel them...



... until they are all peeled. Slice them thinly (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. I use my food processor slicing attachment, because I am lazy like that).




Now take 5 oz goat cheese...




... and place it in a mixing bowl.



Add in 1 cup heavy cream...



...and mix it together with the goat cheese, breaking up the goat cheese with a wooden spoon. (By the way, you can do all of this in a stand mixer, just be sure not to overmix the cream. Otherwise, you will end up with... garlic and goat cheese whipped cream. Yuck!)



Now add 1 cup whole milk and whisk until smooth.



Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt...



...one teaspoon freshly ground black pepper...



...and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.




Finish by adding the the minced garlic



Now you need, an empty baking dish. You want it to be empty, because we are going to put stuff in it.



Add enough of the cream mixture to coat the bottom of the pan, then layer on some of the sliced potatoes.



Fill the pan with 1/3 of the potatoes, and top with 1/3 of the garlic goat cheese cream.



layer another 1/3 of potatoes and 1/3 of cream, then the third 1/3 of potatoes and 1/3 of cream. Are you confused yet? I hope not. Otherwise you will screw it up FOREVER! Ok, not really. Make sure the top layer is pretty and neatly arranged, since you are going to have to look at it when you take it out. Or don't make sure: prettiness is subjective anyway.


Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender and top is golden.



Enjoy!

Chili Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

I don't know about you, but for me and for the longest time, "sweet potatoes" conjured up images of mushy orange lumps poured out of a can, topped with a molten layer of charred mini-marshmallows. The only time I ever came in contact with a sweet potato was during the thanksgiving meal (their traditional venue), so I didn't really have to work hard to avoid them either. Like many of the other "scary" foods in the produce section (rutabaga anyone? Jicama?) I gave sweet potatoes a wide berth, and went straight for the more familiar Idaho potatoes.




This was, of course, a huge disservice to a totally delicious vegetable, because sweet potatoes, fresh (not canned) and not topped with high fructose corn syrup? Delicious! Nutritious! In addition to tasting wonderful (really), they pack a powerful nutritional punch. They are full of all kinds of healthy goodies, like beta carotene, vitamins C and B6, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Compared to white potatoes, they are a superfood! And add to that their low glycemic index, and you have one very body-friendly food, and did I mention how great they taste? Oh, I did. Well, just in case you forgot already, THEY TASTE REALLY GOOD.

This particular recipe is what got me turned onto sweet potatoes in the first place, and let me warn you: these are not your mother's sweet potatoes! Rich, sweet, smoky and spicy, these make a great snack or side dish. Try them with burgers, tacos, or grilled steaks, or try them as an afternoon snack.






Chili Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
Adapted from Everyday Food

Tis the season for sweet potatoes, so they are at their best right now. Look for ones that are crisp and firm, without bruises or soft spots. Store them on the counter, and don't keep them around too long. Unlike white potatoes, they store for weeks, not months, and once they get old they will get tough and lose their flavor.

If you want this recipe to be even lower on the glycemic scale (or you don't eat sugar, etc. etc.), I am sure you could substitute agave nectar, honey, or even grade A maple syrup for the sugar. The chili isn't actually very spicy, so if you want your potatoes to have a little more kick, you can also add in 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper.


Ingredients
3-4 medium sweet potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 tablespoon fine sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshy ground black pepper




Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut 3-4 medium sweet potatoes into wedges, and arrange on a baking sheet.




In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fine sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk with a fork, and drizzle over sweet potato wedges.




Toss to combine, and until potatoes are completely covered in the chili sauce.




Bake in preheated over for 15- 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, and let cool.




Enjoy!

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon

It's really cold. Even here in California, we have been bundling up like eskimos and huddling around the heater with cups of tea. Also, I've been having crazy cravings for smoothies, which are oh so tasty, but um, a little chilly for this time of year? Maybe?

After a mango-pineapple-banana smoothie for breakfast, we were ready for something a little warmer for lunch. Like, oh, I don't know, creamy potato soup? with BACON? Because bacon makes everything better. seriously.

So lets get started!

*2/11/09 After making this soup a second time, I made a few changes to the recipe. Specifically, we thought the soup was a bit TOO creamy (is that actually possible? Apparently so!), so the second time we pureed 1/2 and mashed the other half. Yum!

Also, originally we put sour cream IN the soup, but the second time around we liked it alot better with just a dollop on top. Enjoy!

For this soup, you will need about a pound of these:



I used yellow Baby Dutch potatoes, but I think this soup would be tasty with other kinds of small thin-skinned potatoes, like Yukon Gold, White Creamer, or maybe even red potatoes? Just, whatever you do, don't use those generic Idaho spuds. Those skins are way too tough for soup. And you don't want your soup to taste like mashed potatoes. That would be weird.

You also need all of this:



That is, 2 cups of chicken broth, a few cloves of garlic, olive oil, an onion, butter and thyme. Also, you will need cream, and water. Also, bacon. But if you don't like bacon, or if you're a vegetarian, you can leave it out. (Sorry, no picture. I can't be taking pictures all the time.)

I have to be honest, this is kind of a little-of-this, little-of-that recipe. I don't really do a lot of measuring when I cook (except when I bake. You got to measure when you bake. seriously). I taste as I go along, and if it tastes good, I'm doing something right!

First step, put a 2-3 tbs of olive oil in soup pot. I like to use my iron enamel pot, but use whatever you got. Add 2-3 tbs of butter and melt on med-hi heat.

Peel and chop the onion and add it to the pot. Now the garlic - I LOVE garlic. I love a LOT of garlic. So I use 4-5 cloves. But if the thought of that much garlic makes you feel weak in the knees because you fear the dragon-breath, by all means use less. Pansy. No, I totally didn't say that. Just, you know, some of us are braver than others.

You have some options on how to deal with the garlic: I just got a new toy:




So I used it. It was really fun.

I pounded up the garlic with a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme.

It smelled AMAZING.

I love my new toy.

But if you don't have a mortar and pestle feel free to mince that garlic up with a knife. Or put it through a garlic press. Or beat it with a frying pan.

The options here are really endless.

So do something with that garlic and add it to the onions. Let the onions and the garlic saute until fragrant and golden.

Meanwhile, wash those potatoes (leave aside 2-3 for the garnish) and slice those babies up. And leave the skins on, they're tasty. And good for you. Now add those potatoes to the onions and fry them until they start to get golden and carmely. You don't have to worry about cooking them through, that comes later. Your potatoes should look something like this:




Mmmm. Potatoes.

When those potatoes look golden and lovely, add 2 cups of chicken stock, and two cups of water. The liquid should just cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft when pricked with a fork. Yum.

So, while that's cooking, lets make the garnish!

Actually, it's NOT a garnish.

Garnish implies that it only exists for decorative purposes. This stuff is VITAL.

Don't skip. Really.

Remember those 2-3 potatoes we set aside at the beginning? we're going to use them now, so get those babies out and dice them up. Also, get out two pieces of bacon. Or more, you know, depending on how much you love bacon.

Now heat up a heavy bottomed skillet and fry those babies up. You want the bacon to be REALLY crispy. Or, you know, you could also go the cheater route and buy bacon bits. But REAL bacon tastes much better, I promise. Now when that bacon gets crispy and those potatoes are golden, pull the bacon out, dry it off with a paper towel, and chop it up into little bits. Get it, bits of bacon? Bacon bits?

Back to the soup.

Now that the potatoes are cooked, it's time to get this soup smooth. I, personally, only have a blender. Maybe you have a potato ricer or food mill. If you do, use that! I've heard it's great. Otherwise, use a blender, like me.

Put 1/2 of those potatoes in the blender and top with all broth from the pot. Now puree! If you like your soup REALLY smooth, pull out all the stop and puree until liquid. Now, the other 1/2 of the potatoes. Pull out a potato masher and mash them up. Simple, really.

Now add that puree back to the pot and mix it all up with the other potatoes. Add 1/4 cup cream. Also, add as much stock as you need to get it to the right consistency (hint: it should be the consistency of soup, not mashed potatoes).

It should look something like this:



And of course, now you should add some of this:



It seriously makes everything taste better. Seriously.

Now for the fun part. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Top that with the sauteed potatoes. Top THAT with BACON. So you get this:



Now eat that yummy stuff up. And feel warmer, this cold, cold February.