Tag Archives: potatoes

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe and Potatoes

Posted on January 26, 2012 by | 4 Comments

Have you noticed by now that people are trying to convince you to do just about everything with bacon?  Sometimes it’s simple (candied bacon), sometimes it could occasion a little eyebrow raising (though you can’t write it off if it’s David Lebovitz‘s bacon ice cream), and sometimes it’s just not going to ever happen in my kitchen (bacon vodka).  But it does make for amusing reading, if nothing else–click here and here if you want to see just how outlandish it can get.

(And yes, I can’t deny it, we are all susceptible: I did after all make bacon spice cookies a while back.  It’s no fun to be Serious Cuisine all the time is it?)

So–even with everyone jumping on this bacon bandwagon, using lard or bacon fat is still a bit out there.  (When did you last eat an apple pie made with lard?)  But even though it’s head-spinning to try to keep up with these things, it looks as if these animal fats aren’t quite so bad, or at least not in comparison with their trans-fat laden substitutes. (My crude understanding of this being to stay away from vegetable fats that are solid at room temperature).

Broccoli Rabe Potatoes in Bacon Fat (2 of 2)

I don’t know if I was inspired by healthier living (nor can I really say that with a straight face, we’re talking pork fat here), an attempt at kitchen frugality, or just this bacon craze, but I’ve recently been saving the (massive amounts of) drippings that render from our CSA bacon.  As this bacon is from heritage breed  pigs, it is by no stretch of the imagination lean.  But it’s amazingly good.  So good, that why would I not want to draw out the flavors of a Sunday breakfast through the week, especially if I can convince myself I’m being virtuous by, well, um, using bacon drippings?

I’ve made broccoli rabe pan-fried with potatoes many times since I first read about it on Leite’s Culinaria.  The slightly bitter but fresh tasting rabe with crisped soft potatoes is a perfectly rib-sticking winter food.   The original recipe is from Julia della Croce’s Italian Home Cooking and thus calls for olive oil.  I’ve found that it’s equally wonderful with bacon fat–all those meaty aromas melding into your potatoes and flavoring your greens.  Either way, it’s just right for mid-January.  And I guess it means I’m trendy.

Broccoli Rabe Potatoes in Bacon Fat (1 of 2)

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe and Potatoes, inspired by and adapted from Julia Della Croce’s recipe available here or here

Note:  The original recipe uses olive oil, so if you don’t like, don’t have, or just don’t eat pork, fear not as I can assure it’s equally wonderful either way.

  • 2 Yukon Gold or similar potatoes, unpeeled
  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe
  • salt
  • 4-6 tablespoons bacon fat or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

Put the potatoes in a deep bot and cover with cold water to cover by an inch.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to gently boil for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife (total time will depend upon the size of the potato).  Lift the potatoes out of the water (don’t drain the water but rather leave it in the pot as you will be using it momentarily).  Allow the potatoes to cool.

Trim the rabe:  cut the hard ends off and (ideally) peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler.  Cut off the florets and then chop the stems into 3-inch chunks.  Return the potato water to a boil, adding the salt and extra water if needed.  Then add the stalks, boil for 2-3 minutes, then add the florets, and cook 2-3 minutes more, until  stalks are tender but not mushy.  Note this blanching process doesn’t just cook the rabe but also draws out bitterness.

Peel the skin off the potatoes–it will come off easily using your fingertips alone and cut each potato into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces.

In a large skillet, heat the fat or oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute gently until soft, just a few minutes, and remove the garlic to a bowl.

Raise the heat to medium-high.  When it is hot, (and only when it is hot; this helps prevent sticking and promotes crispiness) add the potatoes, and sauté until they are golden and crisp all over, about 10 minutes.   Add the rabe and garlic cloves, and continue to saute until the greens are well-coated with the fat or oil and are heated through.

Adjust for seasoning and serve.

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Potato Leek Soup

Posted on September 23, 2011 by | 10 Comments

Today  is officially the first day of fall.  And for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s undeniable. The weather is turning, the bright scarlets of tomatoes and blushing peaches are winding down and will soon yield to rust-colored leaves and orange pumpkins. That first time I feel the cool in the air is always a bit of a shock and a real reminder of the impending shift in seasons.

I can’t say I don’t mourn the end of summer, but the colder months have their own charms for those of us who like to keep the skillets going and the oven warm. A piping hot stew or a steaming soup is all the more comforting and nourishing it seems, when there’s a nip in the air.

Here’s just such a homey comforting dish: classic leek and potato soup that can take you through fall and into winter.  Don’t let its soothing creamy texture fool you–there’s a heat that builds at the finish, thanks to a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.

Because this is such a simple soup, with only a few ingredients, you’ll want to use the best stock you have — make your own, or try to use a good-quality store-bought alternative.

3-4 medium potatoes

  • 3-4 leeks (light green and white parts only).
  • 2-3T butter
  • 4 cups stock
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2t cayenne (or to taste)
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • fresh parsley for garnish
Trim the leeks of their dark green parts, then slice down the center lengthwise, almost as if you are cutting each leek in half, but leaving it connected at the root end. Fan the cut ends out and rinse under running water–this will wash off any dirt that has worked its way between the layers. Chop the leeks into 1/2 inch (0.75cm) pieces.

Peel and chop the potatoes into 1/2 inch (0.75cm) pieces.

Melt the butter in a deep soup pot. Add the leeks and saute until they are soft over medium heat. Add the potatoes, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. (The smaller you cut your leek and potatoes, the more quickly they will reach this state).

Remove from heat and puree in batches in a blender or using an immersion blender or food mill. (If you don’t have any of these tools, it is still delicious to serve as a chunky soup in a flavorful broth).

Add the cayenne and nutmeg. Taste to adjust the seasonings to your liking, and garnish with parsley.

This post originally appeared on Honest Cooking.

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Indian Style Cabbage and Potato Curry

Posted on September 11, 2011 by | 6 Comments

This post was originally published on Honest Cooking.

It’s funny to think that I never had Indian food until I went away to college–growing up in Oklahoma, there wasn’t the widest variety of options.  My town was probably better than most though:  International fare included Italian food, Mexican (the most popular being El Chico in the mall and Chili’s) and Chinese.  Perhaps more exotically, there was even Korean and German:  thanks to the fact that our town was connected to a rather large army base, GI’s brought back brides looking for a taste of home.  I hear there may be a sushi place there now, but I’m not sure such reports can be believed. 

Suffice it to say I was probably at least 20 the first time I had Indian food–which is funny to think about, because I later found myself eating almost too much of it when we lived in London for a few years (almost–but it was just so good!)  Now we’ll occasionally order it for take-out, and I keep saying that one day I’m really going to dig in to my Julie Sahni cookbook, Classic Indian Cooking, and learn the basics of Indian food. 

Meanwhile, best intentions aside, there is food in the fridge that needs to be cooked.  I’m always buying savoy cabbage (since it keeps well) and then always struggling to figure out what to do with it (since it does eventually go bad).  There’s a million recipes out there, but at the end of a workday I am not in the mood for anything requiring me to stuff or roll a filling (that has to be separately cooked!) into cabbage leaves.  I want one of those meals where I can dump all the ingredients in a pot, set it on a low burner, stir a few times, and eat.

And it wasn’t out of any particular yearning for Indian food that I came up with this recipe–but rather that all the recipes that came up by googling “cabbage and potatoes”   hailed from the subcontinent.   See, for example, over at Curry in Kadai or Alison’s Lunch (whose recipe I adapted).

Well.  You already know that, per my first criteria, this is easy to throw together.  (I was googling up a storm as I was on the commuter rail home, after all).  And of course I’m only writing it up here because it turned out just as I’d hoped.  A medley of textures–ruffles of Savoy cabbage and waxy chunks of potatoes in a fragrant, complex sauce.  A meatless option that is sturdy enough to stand on its own.  (And with a bit more planning than I managed you’d have some Indian bread or rice to enjoy it with). 

I can’t say that it’s the most intrepid foray into Indian cooking, but it’s a pantry-friendly, workday-workable start.  Maybe I’ll muster up the courage to try a Julie Sahni menu yet!

Indian Style Cabbage and Potato Curry (Based on Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s  Seductions of Rice via Alison’s Lunch). 

  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds (500 g) savoy cabbage
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • teaspoon red chile flakes
  • 1 teaspon cumin seed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 inch (2.5cm) cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
  • 2 green cardamom pods, smashed, OR ¼ teaspoon whole cardamom seeds, crushed lightly
  • 3 shallots, OR 1 small onion 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1lb (500g) potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 small can diced tomatoes (with juice)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • cup (120mL) water
Quarter, core, and shred the cabbage. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chile or chile flakes, cumin, bay leaves cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom. (If you have an herb sachet, you could use this so that you can easily remove the whole spices at the end of cooking–take it from me who got a bit of cinnamon bark caught in the back of my throat!). Saute about 30 seconds, until the cumin is fragrant, then add the shallot (or onion/garlic mixture). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes, tomato, and salt. After a minute, add the cabbage, turmeric, and ginger and stir so that the cabbage evenly covered in the mixture. Cook for one minute.

Add the water, bring it to a boil, and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes and cabbage should be tender and the flavors blended. Adjust for salt and cook uncovered to reduce the liquid another 5 minutes. Remove the whole spices as best you can, and serve

 

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Potato Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

Posted on May 28, 2009 by | 6 Comments

I saw something like this in gourmet a few issues back and it has become a good go-to recipe for when I have kale in my CSA box–something happening less frequently now that the weather is warmer, but a vegetable that will be sure to make its return in due time.  (Note this is a bit of a catch-up entry as I made this a while ago; plus it’s now not really ‘winter salad’ time, but if you’ve been in MA the past few days you can forgive me for reverting to a cold weather recipe).

Quarter your potatoes (or chop them even smaller if you’ve got really big potatoes).  Drizzle on some olive oil and roast at 400F in baking pan.  In the meantime, make your tahini dressing.  The first time I followed the gourmet recipe (below), but the second time I just went from memory–tahini, lemon, olive oil, garlic, and some water to thin it out are essential.  (Tahini dressing is also great for spinach, a green I don’t think responds well to simple vinegar and oil treatment, which is what I do with most greens when I am lazy, even though a vinaigrette takes only a few minutes to make).  I’m sure there’s a million variations on this simple tahini dressing out there.  About 5-10 minutes before the potatoes are done, add the kale and stir it in a bit.  (You can’t stir it in very easily and it will even seem to overflow the baking pan–don’t worry–it will wilt and shrink down in the heat).

My second time around I also left out the parmesan, and I didn’t find it lacking for anything.  I love parmesan but the tahini is assertive enough to stand on its own.

Remove from the oven and pour the dressing over, and serve.  A simple, elegant side dish.  Tahini, it turns out, is for more than just hummus (which I don’t make either, though I should).  Potatoes, as one of the ultimate comfort foods, provide a satisfying base for this salad, the kale a fresh crunch, and the tahini dressing lends a little kick to what are otherwise rather mild flavors.

Potato Kale and Tahini salad

Potato Kale Winter Salad with Tahini dressing (adapted from gourmet December 2008; available here)

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves (3 thinly sliced and 1 minced)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 pounds kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves very thinly sliced crosswise.
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in upper third.

Toss potatoes with oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large 4-sided sheet pan, then spread evenly. Roast, stirring once, 10 minutes. Stir in sliced garlic and roast 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, purée tahini, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. (Add a bit of water if sauce is too thick.) [Note:  I just mixed it by hand, rather than add more dishes to wash.  I don’t mind a bit of garlic flavor here and there).

Toss kale with hot potatoes and any garlic and oil remaining in pan, then toss with tahini sauce and salt and pepper to taste.

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