Gratin Dauphinois

Gratin Dauphinois

1 kg (2.2 pounds) potatoes, a mix of waxy and baking potatoes (if you prefer to use only one type, pick waxy potatoes, not too firm)

500 ml (2 cups) milk (whole or part-skim, not skim)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 clove garlic, sliced lengthwise

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives (optional)

60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream

2/3 cup grated Parmesan, Gruyere and/or Swiss Cheese

Wash, peel and slice potatoes thinly. A mandolin would come in handy. Do not wash them after or you will lose that precious starch.

Combine the sliced potatoes, milk, salt and a good grating of nutmeg in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and keep simmering for 8 minutes, stirring the potatoes and scraping the bottom of the pan regularly to prevent sticking/scorching. The milk will gradually thicken to a creamy consistency.

While the potatoes are simmering, preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and rub the bottom and sides of a medium earthenware or glass baking dish (I use an oval dish that's 26 cm/10 inches at its widest, and 2 liters/2 quarts in capacity) with the cut sides of the garlic clove.

Transfer half of the potatoes into the baking dish, sprinkle with the chives if using, drizzle with half of the cream and sprinkle half the cheese onto the middle layer. Add the rest of the potatoes, pour the cooking milk over them, and drizzle with the remaining cream. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until bubbly on the edges and nicely browned at the top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Roast Potatoes and Jerusalem Artichokes with Lemon Sage

The appeal from this vegetable dish, which can be eaten with fish and meat, is the organic flavors of the earth from artichokes and potatoes, and the acidity of lemons and tomatoes. It is hearty and feeds the soul on a cold winters night with a roast.

Jerusalem artichokes are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem. They are a relative of sunflowers, and have a starchy but deep earthy flavor to them. The tough skinned varieties will require some peeling, but others are fine unpeeled as long as you slice them thinly. This recipe was adapted from the Ottolenghi cookbook.

500g small potatoes

500g Jerusalem Artichokes

3 sticks of carrots

4 garlic cloves, whole with skin

1 spanish onion, quartered

2 tablespoons duck fat

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon roughly chopped sage

3 sprigs of rosemary or thyme

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lemon, sliced

250g cherry tomatoes

170g Kalamata olives, pitted (optional)

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 200C. Wash the potatoes well, put them in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of salted water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until semi-cooked. Add the carrots, sliced in chunks, 10 minutes before potatoes finish. Drain, cool slightly then cut in half. Put them aside.

Wash the Jerusalem artichokes, cut them into slices 5mm thick and add to potatoes.

Heat a roasting tray over the stove with duck fat. When hot and sizzling, add garlic, sage and lemon zest and saute briefly for 1 minute, then toss potatoes, carrots, onions and artichokes with olive oil in the tray.

Roast for 30 minutes, then add sliced lemon and toss with a wooden spoon and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Now add cherry tomatoes and olives (if using), stir well again and cook for further 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir in some of the chopped parsley. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve immediately.

Perfectly Crisp Roasted Vegetables

Jamie Oliver is right: duck fat makes all the difference. I used the leftover duck fat from the Ducketta and sauteed and roasted vegetables that had been pre-boiled. For some spice, I threw in rosemary, lemon zest, paprika and dried chili. The result was vegetables that were perfectly balance between a crunchy, crispy outside and a soft fluffy inside.

500g potatoes

500g sweet potatoes

6 carrots

6 parsnips

2 tablespoons duck fat or oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 head of garlic, cloves separated

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons paprika

3 chilies, chopped finely (or 2 tablespoons dry chili flakes)

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200c/400F.

Put the potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 15 minutes, till partially soft. 10 minutes into boiling the vegetables, add parsnips (they take less time to cook) and cook for another 5 minutes before draining the vegetables.

Fluff the potatoes in the colander- this is important in order for it to have lovely crisp edges.

In a rectangular baking pan, heat oil or duck fat on a stove till hot. Add whole garlic cloves and rosemary, cooking for 5 minutes. Add the paprika, salt and pepper, then add vegetables and toss. Finally add the zest, give it one last toss and place in the oven.

Bake vegetables for an hour until roasted golden brown and crisp. Serve on it's own or with garlic aioli.

Cauliflower Potato Mash

2 heads cauliflower, washed, stemmed and broken up into pieces

6 small or 4 medium sized potatoes, washed and peeled

2 heads of garlic

2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated parmigianno regianno

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400C/200F.

Boil potatoes and cauliflower in separate pots till soft. The potatoes will take 20-25 minutes, depending on how large they are. The cauliflower should take roughly 20 minutes.

Roast garlic heads in oven till soft, following this recipe technique.

Remove garlic from the oven and let it cool before squeezing it into the mash. Raise the oven temperature to broil.

Mash potatoes and cauliflower, adding milk, butter, garlic, basil and seasoning.

Spread mash onto pyrex, sprinkle grated cheese and broil in oven till melted and golden brown, 6-8 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Figs

I decided to make this recipe after watching The Minimalist (Mark Bittman) cook it on the NYTimes video archives. To be honest, I don't like brussels sprouts (BS) very much; I've cooked them before and they've turned out alright, but I've never really appreciated the taste. Perhaps it's because I've overcooked them too often (which results in the BS releasing glucosinolate sinigrin, this nasty sulfurous odor), who knows? So I decided to give them another shot. Conclusion: I still don't like them (I did not smell the sinigrin this time), and no matter how hard I force myself, I'll probably never get my tongue around the bitter taste of the BS. This recipe is great for BS lovers, as the sweet figs soften the taste of the BS, while the vinegar gives the vegetables some much needed acidity. But to everyone else who can't stand BS, I recommend staying away from these mini green monsters (don't believe the BS about BS resembling mini cabbages, because they taste nothing like their bigger brethren).

4 to 8 ounces bacon, chopped
1 pound Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed
1 cup dried figs, stemmed and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or more to taste.

1. Put a large skillet over medium heat and add oil, then bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put sprouts feed tube of a food processor equipped with a slicing attachment and shred. (You can also do this with a mandoline or a knife.)

3. Add sprouts, figs and 1/4 cup water to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn heat to medium, and cook, undisturbed, until sprouts and figs are nearly tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until any remaining water evaporates, another 5 to 10 minutes. Add vinegar, taste, adjust seasoning and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Peas and Corn with Mint

Peas and mint are a good accompaniment to the braised lamb shanks with red wine and pomegranate sauce. I added corn because I love corn, but you can omit it if you're not a fan.

1 can corn, drained

4 garlic cloves, chopped finely

Half bag of frozen peas, thawed

Olive oil

Handful of Mint leaves, chopped roughly

Salt and Pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add peas and cook for 1-2 minutes, then drain peas.

Heat oil in pan. Saute garlic till brown, about 3 minutes, then add corn and peas. Cook for 2 minutes, then take off heat. Season and toss with mint leaves, then serve immediately.

Vanilla-Glazed Carrots

A hint of vanilla beans are a subtle but divine addition to no-nonsense glazed carrots.

5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch-thick ovals

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt butter till brown and nutty.

Add scraped seeds of vanilla bean into melting butter. Add carrots and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook carrots on medium heat until soft and lightly glazed, about 10-15 minutes. Add lemon juice, stir and reseason.

Purple Potato Mash

I was originally going to do a mixed mash of potatoes and turnips for a nice colour contrast, but I ended up under cooking the turnips and had to throw them out. This was one of the sides for Saturday night dinner.

900g purple potatoes, washed

3 tablespoons olive oil

250g creme fraiche

1 head of garlic

50g unsalted butter

15g chives, roughly chopped

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200C. Slice 1cm off the top of the garlic head, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper and cover in foil. Bake in oven till soft, about 20-30 minutes. Remove and let it cool.

Boil potatoes in a pot of salted water until soft, about 20 minutes.

Take garlic by the bottom and gently press upwards to release the cooked flesh into a big bowl. Add butter and potatoes, and begin to mash. Gently fold in creme fraiche and chives, season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower, Corn and Feta Fritters with Lime Greek Yoghurt

These fritters are deliciously versatile. They can be eaten as a snack, appetizer or main course, stuffed in pita with hummus and tomatoes or in sandwiches, and you can experiment with numerous combination's of vegetables, herbs and spices. I added corn (after craving corn fritters from Lotus on Pottinger St.), and feta to get some melted miracles going, and tweaked around with Ottolenghi's original recipe to produce these golden parcels of greatness. Slathered with the zesty Greek Yogurt sauce that makes my tongue curl with ecstasy, they're not only tasty but also vegetarian!!

Fritters:

1 small cauliflower

120g plain flour

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cinnamon

80g corn, canned and drained

60g feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper

sunflower oil, for frying

Sauce:

300g Greek Yogurt

zest 1 lime
2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped finely

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Put all sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Taste and season, it should be vibrant, tart and citrusy, then chill.

Prepare cauliflower. Trim off leaves and divide into small florets. Keep stems and leaves for stock. Boil water with salt, add cauliflower florets and simmer for 15 minutes until soft, then drain.

While its cooking, put flour, parsley, garlic, shallots, feta, corn, eggs, spices, salt and pepper in bowl and whisk together to make a smooth batter. Add warmed cauliflower and mix to break it down.

Pour into pan of very hot oil, gently pour 3 tablespoons per fritter. Do not let them touch; they should not be overcrowded. Fry in small batches, 3-4 minutes per side till golden brown.

Drain on kitchen papers and serve with sauce on side.

Thanksgiving Sides

This year I opted to attend my aunt's thanksgiving dinner instead of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, and will thus be missing out on the glorious occasion to cook the annual holiday feast (not that the food won't be amazing, I hear they're roasting a whole baby lamb on a spit!!) But at Peter’s behest, I have posted a few Thanksgiving side recipes (without pictures, unfortunately) to go with the Turkeys that everyone else will be roasting this afternoon.

Braised Red Cabbage with Crumbled Herb Goat’s Cheese

3 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 pound red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 12 cups)
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 packet of Goat’s Cheese
2 sprig of Rosemary
2 sprig of Thyme

Melt the butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then add cabbage and garlic, and sauté for 10 minutes till wilted and soft. Add sugar, toss to coat evenly. Add vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, simmer until cabbage is tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Finely chop herbs and mix with Goats Cheese. Crumble herb-cheese mix on top of cabbage and serve.

Serves 6-8


Aligot: Mashed Potatoes with Cantal, Roasted Garlic and Oregano

The Cantal gives this French mashed potato an almost elastic consistency, it’s quite riveting! I’ve added garlic and fresh oregano, which gives it added dimension. Must serve immediately, it tastes best when just incorporated.

8 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon of salt
5 whole garlic heads
3 tablespoons of butter
2/3 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh Oregano (or Marjoram)
1/4 lb freshly grated Cantal Cheese “entre deux”

Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the top of each garlic head so that the top of the cloves are exposed. Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper and cover the whole heads with foil. Bake in oven till soft, 30-40 minutes. Remove and let it cool.

Meanwhile, bring potatoes in a pot of salted water to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the potatoes. Drain the water from the potatoes.

Place the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and brown the butter. It will foam for a bit before calming down. Once it turns light amber in colour, it will begin to turn nutty very quickly. Add chopped oregano leaves and then pour over potatoes. watch for it to turn to a nutty brown (this can happen very quickly). Immediately take off heat, add the chopped oregano to the butter (it may cause some foaming) and pour over the potatoes. Squeeze in the roasted garlic heads, then mash the potato mixture.

Heat the milk right until it is about to boil. Then add the milk and grated Cantal cheese to the potato mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth well incorporated.

The Aligot will be slightly thick, and slide from the spoon like a Ruban.

Serves 4.


Sweet Potato Mash with Marshmallows

3 lbs light yellow sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2 inch chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup to 1 cup (or more) water
2 packets of Marshmallows

You can cook the sweet potatoes by either roasting or boiling. To roast, rub olive oil all over the pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt, and put them in a roasting pan, cook at 425°F for 40 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. To boil, put in a saucepan and cover with an inch or two of cold water. Bring to a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces through the pieces.

Place cooked sweet potato pieces in a large bowl, add olive oil, mash with a potato masher until completely mashed. Slowly add water, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sweet potatoes reach desired consistency.

Add more salt and pepper to taste. Then put in a square baking dish, fill the entire surface with marshmallows, tops up, and place back in oven for 10-15 minutes. When the marshmallows are golden brown and beginning to melt, they are ready to serve! Be sure you watch the marshmallow so that the tops do not burn.

Serves 6