Grilled Chive Potatoes

I think this just might be the easiest way I've ever cooked potatoes, and with the possible exception of Aligot Potatoes (which are so insanely good there aren't even words to describe), these also might be the most scrumptious.  It almost doesn't seem fair, but it's true.

This is a great side dish to make when you have the grill cranked up anyway...say because you are making Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce....but it's also well worth firing up the grill even if whatever you are making to go with these babies is not something grilled.  They are that good.

Here's the scoop: you boil up some nice red-skinned potatoes.  Pick medium sized ones for this, not those teeny baby ones, because you don't want a single one to fall through the grill grates.  Boil for a 25 minutes or so, until they are tender.  Scoop them out of the water and cut them in half, and then brush them with a concoction of melted butter, chopped fresh chives and lemon peel.  Now pop them on the grill, cut side down, for about 10 minutes or until you get those gorgeous char marks. 

Now all you have left to do is drizzle the rest of that butter mixture over your potatoes and dig in.   You might forget to eat whatever else is on the plate due to the grilled chive potato goodness.  Here's the recipe!

Grilled Chive Potatoes, adapted from Epicurious

• 6 red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain. Cut potatoes in half; place cut side up on rimmed baking sheet.
2. Stir butter, chives, and lemon peel in medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Season with salt and pepper. Brush some chive butter over potatoes.
3. Grill potatoes over medium high heat, cut side down, until cut side is crisp and brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Rewarm remaining chive butter. Transfer potatoes, cut side up, to platter. Drizzle with warm chive butter.

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Low Country Boil Kabobs

One of the many, many advantages of being married to a Southern man is that you learn about the complete fabulousness of something called Low Country Boil.  It's also sometimes known as Frogmore Stew (based on the hometown of the National Guardsman that invented it).  The town of Frogmore was eliminated by the Postal Service and incorporated into the nearby Beaufort, and the name of the recipe officially changed to Low Country Boil.  This is your culinary history lesson of the day.

Anyway, the way this usually works is that you boil up baby potatoes with a seafood seasoning, and then add the sausage, the corn and then the shrimp as time rolls on so that everything is cooked up perfectly.  Then you drain the whole thing and dump it all onto a platter and let folks dig in...forks optional.  We always have this a few times during the summer, so when I saw this version that called for adding the grill into the mix, my antenna went up.  I always do love to shake up a recipe that I've made a hundred times before.

In this version, you still boil up the potatoes, but after they are done you thread them onto skewers with uncooked large shrimp, chunks of andouille sausage, and pieces of corn on the cob that you have cut into 1-2 inch sections.  Now, the most challenging part of this entire thing is getting the dang corn sections on to the skewers.  The center of corn cobs?  HARD.  So the Southern husband sprang into action...he took each one and hammered a nail into it and then pulled it out - making a perfect little hole for me to slip it right onto the skewer.  There is nothing that makes this man happier than the chance to use his workshop skills in the kitchen.

Once everything is on the skewer, you brush it with a mixture of melted butter and Old Bay seasoning.  Or, if you are like me and THOUGHT you had a container of Old Bay and then remembered too late that you threw it out in a frenzy of purging the spice cabinet of old spices, you can fake it by putting together the mixture I found by clicking here.

Now pop the skewers onto the grill for as long as it takes to cook the shrimp and lightly char the corn - 5-8 minutes should do it.  Now you not only have the wonderfulness of Low Country Boil, but with the added flavor of the grill. 

Life is very, very good.

Low Country Boil Kabobs, from Everyday Food

1/2 pound baby potatoes

2 ears of corn, cut into 1 inch sections

1/2 pound cooked andouille sausage, cut into 1 inch rounds

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deviened

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1. Boil potatoes in salted water for about 12 minutes or until tender.  Drain and cool slightly.

2. Thread skewers with potatoes, shrimp, corn and sausage.

3. Combine melted butter and Old Bay and brush onto skewers.  Grill on medium high for about 5-8 minutes or until shrimp is cooked and corn is lightly charred.  Serve immediately.

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Baked Potato with Ricotta and Tomatoes

There is just something so comforting about a baked potato, don't you think?    Add in the fact that baked potatoes are actually GOOD for you, and you are looking at one satisfying lunch or supper, all in one easy to make package.

In this case, I rubbed my potatoes with a little olive oil and popped them in the oven while I made a batch of fresh ricotta (side note: I love making ricotta cheese.  It is SO easy, and tastes so fresh and good.  But as always, feel free to use store-bought ricotta. )  I roasted up some cherry tomatoes as well, and by the time all that was done the potatoes were nice and tender.  Then all you do is split them open, spoon on some ricotta, scatter the tomatoes on top, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle some fresh thyme on top.  That's all you need to do to be in baked potato heaven. 

And trust me, if you can't get into Bacon Heaven, Baked Potato Heaven is the next best place.

Baked Potato with Ricotta and Tomatoes, adapted from Real Simple

• 2 russet potatoes
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon and one tablespoon of olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh thyme
• 1 cup fresh ricotta

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rub the potatoes with a teaspoon of olive oil, place on a baking sheet and bake until they are tender when pierced with a knife, about one hour or so.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and toss the tomatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of coarse salt and a grinding of black pepper.  15 minutes before the potatoes are done, pop the sheet of tomatoes in there with them and roast them until they start to split.
3. Split the potatoes (you can either cut them in half for four people or just make an X down the middle and push them open for two especially hungry people).  Top with ricotta cheese, roasted tomatoes and fresh thyme.

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Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Is there anything better than potatoes?  I like them mashed, I liked them made into fries, I like them sliced on top of a cottage pie.  I like them here, I like them there, I like them like them everywhere.

I especially like those adorable little baby ones...you know the ones I mean.  The little tiny red and white ones, the ones that make it possible for you to eat multiple potatoes at the same meal and still feed kind of virtuous.    Kind of.  Hey, they are vegetables!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So besides mashing them up with lots of butter and cream, which I completely concede is the absolute best way on earth to prepare a potato, I think I just stumbled upon the next best approach to potato heaven.  It's completely easy, completely delicious, and only involves four things.  Potatoes (natch).  Olive oil.  Coarse salt.  And this...

Now, I admit that finding malt vinegar can be a bit of a challenge.  I actually found mine in the international foods section of my supermarket, in there with the Cadbury chocolate and the really good English breakfast tea...but if you get really desperate you can click here.  And if THAT doesn't work, you can use regular old cider vinegar.  It will be almost as good.

Take those cute little potatoes and boil them up in salted water until they are tender, about 20 minutes or so.  Drain them, and now comes the fun part.  Put them in groups of three or four on a clean dishtowel and fold it over.  Now take a potato masher or a can of tomatoes or whatever you have that is heavy and flat, and press down gently on each potato until they flatten up just slightly.  Now transfer them all to a cookie sheet, brush them with a little olive oil and bake 'em until they are just a little crispy on the outside.

When they are out of the oven, toss them with that vinegar and sprinkle on some coarse salt...and then have an internal argument with yourself about whether these are maybe even better than those mashed potatoes that have always been in first place in your heart.  It's a conundrum for sure.

Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes, adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 1/2 pounds small round or fingerling potatoes
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup malt vinegar

1. In a medium pot, bring potatoes to a boil over high in salted water. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes; drain. Place a folded dish towel on a work surface and place a potato inside. Gently smash potato so that it is flattened but still in one piece (edges will split). Repeat with remaining potatoes.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Place potatoes on sheet and brush tops with 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until crisp and golden, 35 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Remove from oven, toss with vinegar, and season with salt.
   
   
   
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Gnocchi with Spring Vegetables

This past week or two it is finally sinking in with me that after the long winter of snow and ice and snow and wind and snow and sleet and snow, spring might finally be here.  The proof is right here in my own backyard....

That is a little baby lilac.  When it turns into a full-blooming lilac I will go through the same agonizing decision I make every year - clip it and bring it inside, or leave it on the lilac bush?  (Hint: the lilac bush has won every year so far.)

There's also this little guy.

I have no idea what he is, but he's green, so I'm happy.

However, the ultimate sign of spring, the one that means we have truly crossed over to the other side is the following....

Once the dog is outside sunning herself in the grass instead of lounging around illegally on my bed, I know that summer can't be far away.  And all this springtime merriment was enough to make me work up my courage and tackle this recipe for gnocchi with spring vegetables.  I don't know what it is about gnocchi that intimidates me, but for some reason I think that it is always going to backfire on me and I am going to have to wave the white flag and call the pizza delivery guy.  But this recipe was just different enough for me to buck up and give it a go.  For one thing, any recipe with the words "spring" and "vegetables" in it just makes me want to run out and buy loads of carrots with the tops still on them.

And in this case, I also bought a load of fresh peas that the Southern husband cheerfully shelled for me.  Man, I love this guy.  If you ever find someone who is willing to shell peas for you, hang onto him.

Anyway, the gnocchi recipe turned out to be a snap.  After you make the gnocchi, which are basically little heavenly balls of mashed potato mixed with a little flour and olive oil, you freeze them solid.  Then when you are  ready to make them you saute them on the stove in butter and olive oil until they are golden brown and perfect.  Toss in some fresh cooked carrots and peas, a little chopped basil, some salt and pepper, throw open your windows, put on your flip-flops and a short-sleeved shirt and raise a glass to spring.

(I hope I haven't now inadvertently triggered a rare late-April snowstorm.)

Gnocchi with Spring Vegetables, adapted slightly from Jonathan Waxman's recipe in The New York Times

3 large russet baking potatoes
4-6  tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut in thirds
2 cups shelled peas, fresh or thawed frozen
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 basil leaves, slivered
Sea salt and ground black pepper.

1. Steam potatoes over boiling water until tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool for 2 hours. Break up potatoes and use a food mill or ricer to mash them into a bowl. Peeling is not necessary with these tools, but the potatoes can be peeled if desired. Dust a smooth work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and scoop potatoes on top. Dust potatoes with remaining flour and dribble a tablespoon of the oil on top. With your hands, work the potatoes, kneading lightly, about 5 minutes until they come together to make a soft dough. Add a bit more flour if needed. Let it rest 10 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into four balls. Roll out each into a strand 1-inch thick, then use a knife or pastry scraper to cut into 1-inch pieces of gnocchi. Place on one or more parchment-lined trays and freeze at least 1 hour. When hard, remove as many as desired for cooking and transfer the rest to a plastic bag for freezing up to one month.
3. Cook carrots in simmering water 10 minutes or until tender. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and cut in bite-size pieces. If using fresh peas, add to water, cook about 2 minutes, until tender, and drain. Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add frozen gnocchi and sauté about 5-10 minutes, turning gnocchi frequently, until lightly browned. Add peas and carrots and cook about 2 minutes more. Toss in basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Yield: About 60 gnocchi, 4 to 6 servings.

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Coconut Beef Stew

These are a few of my favorite things:

1. Beef Stew
2. Coconut

(Does two count as a few? I can never remember.)

Anyway, imagine this.  You get a hankering for a nice, hot, comforting beef stew with all the wonderful ingredients: chunks of beef, pieces of carrot and potato, etc.  But instead of the usual beef broth or wine that you usually make beef stew with...you use coconut milk.  And you throw in a few spices that are usually not found in beef stew, like coconut and cumin.  And when the stew is done, all tender and with a hint of coconut taste after simmering for hours in the coconut milk, you sprinkle it with a little shredded coconut just for good measure.  Then you ladle it out into bowls and take your first bite, and you are transported into a land that is a confusingly wonderful mixture of tropical comfort food.  I promise you, this is one beef stew that you are going to remember lovingly for a good long time.

Which all goes to show you, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

Sorry.  Any excuse to put a puppy picture up.

Anyway...coconut beef stew.  Try it!

Coconut Beef Stew

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 14oz can coconut milk
• 2 pounds beef chuck steak, cut into cubes
• 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 cups carrots, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

1. Heat oven to 350.  Put oil in Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot over medium heat.  Cook onions for 5 minutes or until soft.  Add garlic and spices  and stir for one minute.  Stir in tomato paste and then coconut milk.  Bring to a boil and add beef.

2. Cover and transfer to oven,  Cook for 1 hour,  then remove from oven and add potatoes and carrots.  Cover and cook for an additional hour and 15 minutes.

3. Sprinkle each serving with flaked coconut and parsley and serve.

Click here for printable recipe

Loaded Potato Soup

So, I have to kick off this particular post by telling you about one of my new favorite blogs, which is the place I found this fast and fabulous soup. The blog is called Ezra Pound Cake, and the name alone had me at hello. It's full of terrific recipes and even more terrific color commentary, and it's one of the blogs I go to as much for the entertaining writing as for the scrumptious dinner inspiration.

Anyway, I found this soup when I was wandering around the site the other day, and it totally lived up to my fondest hopes and dreams: in other words, it is basically like eating the soup version of some really fantastic mashed potatoes. Which is my personal idea of heaven, so I was in a place of perfect happiness for as long as the soup lasted. Smooth, thick, creamy, with bits of cheese and bacon and green onion....is your mouth watering yet?

And to make it even more wonderful, it is a snap to make. Cook up a few potatoes in your microwave (I used Yukon golds, which worked perfectly). While the potatoes are cooking, you make the soup base by sauteing some chopped onion and adding in some chicken broth and milk and a little sour cream. When the potatoes are done, scoop the potato out of the skin and drop it into the soup mixture, and then give the whole thing a good whirl with an immersion blender or your regular blender. Garnish with some chopped cooked bacon, some shredded cheddar and some chopped green onions. And there you have it - the soup version of some really fabulous mashed potatoes. YUM. Thanks, Ezra Pound Cake - you rock!

Loaded Potato Soup, adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

• 4 (6-ounce) potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 bacon slices, halved
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

1. Scrub and dry the potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. Place the potatoes on a plate, and microwave them on high for 13 minutes. The potatoes should be tender. Cut them in half, and set aside.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup milk. Add the mixture to the pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Place a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Arrange your bacon halves on the paper towel, and cover them with a second paper towel. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon. Set aside.

6. Scoop the potato pulp out of the skins, and mash the pulp into the soup (at this point I pureed it with my emsulsion blender to get it even smoother) . Discard skins.

7. Garnish each serving of soup with cheese, green onions and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe

Black Pepper and Lime Fries

For me, summer cooking is all about the grill wherever possible. Steak, chicken, seafood, corn, grilled pizza (happy happy sigh)...and since the Southern husband is an impresario at the grill, life in the summer is even better. There's nothing like sitting on your back steps, glass of merlot in hand, watching the love of your life do the cooking.

However, it DOES entail coming up with more side dishes than I, lover of one dish cooking, am normally used to, so I am always doubly happy when I come across a really fun one. These lime fries are from the fabulous 101 Cookbooks blog, and they are both super-easy and very yummy. And pretty darn healthy, as they are the variety of fries that cook in the oven with just a drizzling of olive oil. They involve lots and lots of black pepper, and for that extra zing (here's the part that especially caught my eye), a drizzling of lime juice and some fresh grated lime peel.

Some grilled steak/chicken/seafood, some lime fries, a warm summer evening...ah yes.

Black Pepper and Lime Fries, from 101 Cookbooks

1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, cut into wedges
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 lime
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375, oven racks in the middle.

In a medium bowl toss the potato wedges with the olive oil, a few big pinches of sea salt and five or six cranks of the pepper grinder. Arrange the potatoes cut side down on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, tossing the potatoes with a metal spatula half way through.

While the potatoes are baking, zest the lime and cut it into a few wedges.

When the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the oven, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt and pepper to taste (don't skimp on the pepper!). Serve in a big shallow bowl, or on a platter, drizzled with lime juice and dusted with the lime zest and Parmesan.

Serves 4 - 6.

Click here for printable recipe

Lemon Ricotta Potatoes

Okay, so I don't usually get too worked up about side dishes. I tend towards those dishes that pretty much feature all the food groups and courses in one handy pan. That's why I love Shepherd's Pie, and Chili Dog Casserole, and pretty much anything with pasta in it. But every once in a while a side dish comes along and steals my heart. That's what happened with these gorgeous little potatoes.

It might have been because they feature ricotta cheese. I have recently learned how to make my own ricotta cheese, and so my ricotta cheese radar is on high alert. You can feel free to be a normal person and buy your own ricotta cheese (Whole Foods has great fresh ricotta), or you can join me in home-made ricotta cheese paradise by clicking here. In any case, you need some ricotta cheese...

And a couple of these...

And the best olive oil you can find. I get mine at the wonderful Palisades Indoor Farmer's Market, and if you live in the northern New Jersey/Southern New York area, you must check this out. Olive oil, fresh veggies, cheese, fish, jam, glorious baked goods....yes, yes, yes.

Anyway, you cook up a bunch of baby red potatoes by drizzling them with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrapping them up in a foil packet. Bake the packet until the potatoes are tender. Let them cool just until you are able to press them open, and then you top them with a mixture made of the ricotta, some grated parmesan cheese and some lemon peel. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top, grind some fresh pepper, and you almost don't need a main course.

However, I live with the Southern husband, and so we had some beer and brown sugar-marinated rib-eye steak on the side of the lemon ricotta potatoes.

Life is good.

Lemon Ricotta Potatoes, adapted from Everyday Food

• 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place the potatoes on a 3 foot long piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil, coarse salt and ground pepper. Bring edges of foil together to make a sealed packet, place on baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine both cheeses, lemon zest and salt to taste. When potatoes are done, cool just until you can handle them, then cut a small X on each one and squeeze open.

3. Place a spoonful of the ricotta mixture on each potato, grind some pepper on top and drizzle a little more olive oil on top. Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie...it might be my all-time favorite comfort food, and I never get tired of making it. I am very particular about the kind of shepherd's pie that I like, though, and that all dates back to my days right out of college, living with my dear friend C in the world's smallest studio apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Ah, that apartment -- it had exposed brick walls that got red-hot in the winter (why? we didn't know and were afraid to ask), the world's dinkiest, oldest refrigerator, and a reclusive next door neighbor named Bruce who was straight out of a Seinfeld episode. We made a combined salary of about $25,000 per year, and probably spent $20,000 of it on rent for this glorious pad, and so our nights out on the town were few and far between, and divided between what is STILL the best pizza place I have ever been to and this Irish joint called Finnegan's Wake.

Finnegan's was loud and dark and the floor was sticky and they served the best, cheapest, most delicious shepherd's pie I've ever had. It was made with beef, not lamb, and featured peas and carrots in a thick tomato-ish sauce, all topped with mashed potatoes. (The picture above is before the addition of the potatoes, in case you are wondering. Because once you put the potatoes on top it would look like a picture of, well, potatoes.)

The Finnegan's version spoiled me forever in terms of shepherd's pie, and ever since I have been in search of a recipe that stood up to Finnegan's. (Of course, it might have tasted so good because the rest of the time we were eating cold cereal, ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese out the box, but whatever.)

So this recipe has all those elements, and whenever I have leftover mashed potatoes I make it. By the way, I'm not sure exactly why it is called shepherd's pie -- maybe shepherds eat it? Maybe because - eek - it is usually made with lamb? At any rate, it's also a good excuse for me to show you the one and only picture I have ever taken of a sheep.



And now that you have all this useful information, here's the best part, which is the actual recipe.

Shepherd's Pie, adapted from Everyday Food

2 pounds freshly ground beef

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons flour

1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Coarse salt and ground pepper

10 ounces frozen peas, thawed

Potato Topping:

2-½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup milk

6 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Heat a large skillet over high heat. In two batches, cook beef until no longer pink, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer beef to a colander set in a bowl; let fat drain off and discard.
2. Add ¼ cup water to the skillet, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add flour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
3. Add Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups water, and beef. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Divide among eight 8-ounce ramekins or two 9-inch glass pie dishes.
4. Meanwhile, make potato topping. Spread over pies; use a fork to make peaks. Bake on a baking sheet until tops are browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly; serve.

Potato Topping:

1. In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with salted water by 1 inch; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
2. In pan, bring milk and butter to a simmer; remove from heat. Return potatoes; mash. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Click here for printable recipe

Baked Potatoes with Caviar

We love baked potatoes for dinner in my house. One of the teenager's favorite meals is to take a potato and top it with cheese and a poached egg. Sometimes I contaminate it by adding broccoli, but it is still a popular supper item - click below to see.

Baked Potato with Poached Egg

So I am always on the lookout for baked potato recipes that could serve as a meal unto themselves, and this one was a doozy. The New York Times recently ran a piece on twice-baked potatoes that included a few really tempting recipes, and this was one of them. For those of you who haven't experienced the wonder that is a twice-baked potato, you are basically getting a baked potato and a mashed potato all in one heavenly meal. You bake the potato, cool it a little, scoop out the insides, mash it up with whatever your heart desires, spoon it back into the potato shell, and bake it again until the edges are golden and crusty.

In this case, the potato is rubbed with coarse salt before it is baked so that the salt kind of bakes into the potato skin. (Potato chip-like, if you will.) Then when the potato is nice and baked, the inside is mashed up with creme fraiche (you can also use sour cream), butter, chopped chives and salt and pepper. You stuff this incredible mixture back into the potato, bake it until it is golden, and then...take a deep breath...you top it with a little more creme fraiche and a spoonful of caviar or salmon roe. I found a little jar of inexpensive red caviar right by the canned tuna in my supermarket that worked just perfectly.

The teenager, of course, opted to top hers with a poached egg instead of the caviar and creme fraiche. But the Southern husband and I were in creme fraiche/caviar heaven. Give it a try!

Baked Potatoes with Caviar, from The New York Times

4 large russet potatoes (10 to 12 ounces each), scrubbed well

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup crème fraîche, more for serving

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 teaspoons chopped chives

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces salmon roe, for topping.

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rub potatoes with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pierce twice with a fork (don’t worry if some salt falls off). Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until skin is crispy and insides are tender when pierced with a fork, 60 to 70 minutes.

2. When potatoes have cooled enough to handle, use a sharp knife to slice off tops. Scoop out insides, leaving about 1/4 inch around skin; transfer potato flesh to a bowl. Add crème fraîche, butter, chives, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; mash with a fork until combined.

3. Stuff potato skins with potato mixture. Return potatoes to oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Run under broiler for another 1 to 2 minutes until tops are golden brown and crisp. Serve hot, topped with salmon roe and additional crème fraîche, if desired.

Yield: 4 large servings.

Click here for printable recipe

Best Beef Stew

So for me, beef stew is like macaroni and cheese -- I never met a recipe I wasn't a little bit tempted to try, JUST in case it might be better than the other million recipes I already have. So when the practically perfect folks at Cooks Illustrated promised that this particular one was the Best Beef Stew...well, all I needed was a snowy Sunday with nothing else on the horizon and I was ready to roll.

Now truth be told, I am a bit of a skeptic when it comes to "new" beef stew recipes. I've been around the beef stew block enough times that I need something pretty convincing in the latest recipe to get me on board for real, since beef stew is a major commitment. It involves chopping. It involves both searing and simmering. It involves many, many hours on the stove, and as my Cooks Illustrated friends pointed out, it can often smell better than it ultimately tastes. However, this latest recipe did come through for me in terms of the secret ingredient.

Are you ready?

Can you HANDLE it?

Okay, here goes.

ANCHOVIES.

No, I am not kidding. No, I have not finally lost my mind due to bacon overdose. Anchovies. It has an actual scientific explanation that goes with it, something to do with glutamates. All I know is that Cooks Illustrated is my Holy Grail of recipes, and if they say anchovies, I am down with the anchovies. And sure enough -- the stew tasted richer and more intense...and not a bit like fish. Promise.

So if you, like me, are always on the hunt for the next best beef stew, give this one a try and don't be afraid of the anchovies. Sometimes you just have to roll the dice!

BEST BEEF STEW, from Cooks Illustrated

2	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
4	anchovy fillets , finely minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1	tablespoon tomato paste
1	boneless beef chuck-eye roast (about 4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	large onion , halved and cut from pole to pole into 1/8-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)
4	medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/4	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2	cups red wine
2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
2	bay leaves
4	sprigs fresh thyme
4	ounces salt pork , rinsed of excess salt
1	pound Yukon gold potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2	cups frozen pearl onions , thawed
2	teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1 packet)
1/2	cup water
1	cup frozen peas , thawed
	Table salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine garlic and anchovies in small bowl; press with back of fork to form paste. Stir in tomato paste and set mixture aside.

2. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Do not season. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add half of beef and cook until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total, reducing heat if oil begins to smoke or fond begins to burn. Transfer beef to large plate. Repeat with remaining beef and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, leaving second batch of meat in pot after browning.

3. Reduce heat to medium and return first batch of beef to pot. Add onion and carrots to Dutch oven and stir to combine with beef. Cook, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, until onion is softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until no dry flour remains, about 30 seconds.

4. Slowly add wine, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Increase heat to high and allow wine to simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, bay leaves, thyme, and salt pork. Bring to simmer, cover, transfer to oven, and cook for 11/2 hours.

5. Remove pot from oven; remove and discard bay leaves and salt pork. Stir in potatoes, cover, return to oven, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 45 minutes.

6. Using large spoon, skim any excess fat from surface of stew. Stir in pearl onions; cook over medium heat until potatoes and onions are cooked through and meat offers little resistance when poked with fork (meat should not be falling apart), about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl and allow to soften for 5 minutes.

7. Increase heat to high, stir in softened gelatin mixture and peas; simmer until gelatin is fully dissolved and stew is thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

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Click here for printable recipe

Mussels Ravigote!

I am always SO excited when I go to a restaurant and see the following item on the menu:

"Moules Frite"

Because the translation of that is "mussels with french fries," and I adore mussels with french fries. I adore mussels in general, as you know if you have read this, and this, and this. So when you add french fries to the mix...well, you have me at hello.

This recipe goes a teeny tiny bit over my "done in 30 minutes or less or the Jacksons don't eat it" rule, but that is only because the fries need to cook for about 25 minutes to get to that wonderful crispy golden state of done-ness. And while they are cooking you can leisurely go about tossing together the super-simple mussels part of the recipe, which involves steaming them in a bath of white wine and clam juice, and putting together a mixture of onion, chopped pickles, herbs and mustard that gets tossed with the mussels once they were done. The Southern husband couldn't stop talking about how great the pickles were with the mussels. It's that whole salty seafood thing...it's fabulous.

And then of course you have the fries on the side as an extra added bonus. Baked in olive oil, tossed with coarse salt and parsley and parmesan cheese...need I go on? I guess so, since you are probably now wanting the recipe, if you are a mussel maniac like me. Here you go...

MUSSELS RAVIGOTE with PARMESAN FRITE, adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1/4 cup sliced cornichons
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons capers
1 1/2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
48 mussels (about 2 pounds), scrubbed and debearded
2 baking potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch strips with skin left on
Olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper



1. Preheat oven to 500.
2. Toss potato strips with olive oil and lay on greased baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and toss, bake for another 15 minutes or until golden.
3. Meanwhile, combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Bring wine and clam juice to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add mussels; cover and cook 2 minutes or until shells open. Remove mussels from pan with a slotted spoon; discard any unopened shells. Keep warm.
5. Bring wine mixture to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 15 minutes). Pour liquid over mussels. Add the cornichon mixture; toss.
6. Serve with parmesan frites and a bowl on the table for the empty shells.

Click here for printable recipe

Bay Scallops Gremolata

So, do you know what gremolata is? Nope, I didn't either before I found this gem of a recipe in Sarah Chase's COLD WEATHER COOKING. Gremolata, my friends, is a mix of lemon, parsley and garlic, which you could probably mix up with anything and it would taste good. But in this recipe, it is absolutely, exquisitely perfect, and makes a lovely, easy, totally reliable dinner party entree for that holiday dinner you have been stressing about. Or even a wonderful weekday evening dinner that you can toss together in two shakes.

Basically all you are doing is chopping up red potatoes into small diced pieces and sauteing them in a little olive oil. Think of it as a red potato hash. This is going to be a bed for a quick saute of bay scallops (those little ones, not the big sea scallops), which you sear quickly and then toss with the gremolata. A little lemon juice, a scattering of parsley and that is it. Dish it out, serve it with a tossed salad on the side and some really nice french bread and butter, light some candles, put on some jazz, and your significant other will never know what hit them. Gremolata. You learn something new every day. (At least, I do!!)

BAY SCALLOPS GREMOLATA, adapted from COLD WEATHER COOKING

Serves 2

• 1 large red skinned potato, cut into tiny dice
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound bay scallops
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon wedges and parsley for garnish

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in skillet over med-high heat and add potatoes. Saute until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

2. Add remaining oil to skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add scallops and cook, stirring constantly, until they are lightly seared, 2-3 minutes.

3. Add lemon zest and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Return potatoes to skillet with parsley and stir to blend. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve at once garnished with lemon wedges and parsley for garnish.

Click here for printable recipe

Thanksgiving Dinner at Fairway!

One day I am going to do what will be my favorite post that I will ever write in the history of this blog and that will be my behind the scenes tour of my favorite store on the planet, Fairway. Thereby torturing all of my beloved readers that don't live within driving distance of the best supermarket EVER...but maybe it will inspire you to write to the Fairway folks and demand what you are entitled to, which is your very own Fairway in your neck of the woods.

In the meantime, the folks at Fairway are offering up this amazing-sounding Thanksgiving event, and all you NYC-area lucky folks out there who live near a Fairway? You might want to check this out:

Ray Venezia, Fairway Market's Master Butcher will demonstrate the art of carving a turkey on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at the Fairway Café and Steakhouse (second floor of the Broadway and W. 74th Street store) The demonstration starts at 7 pm followed by a three course dinner. Cost is $40 per person. The menu is as follows:


Sweet Potato and red onion soup with sage


Hot open face turkey sandwich with handmade cranberry relish


Mashed potatoes and pan gravy


Pecan or pumpkin pie


Please call 212 994 9555 to get more information and to make a reservation


That's right -- Thanksgiving dinner served to you a week before the actual day by the genius foodies at Fairway...and without any family drama!! Along with a turkey carving lesson, which personally I know some of my family members could use. (You know who you are, guys.)

And for all the rest of you who are Fairway-deprived...I'm so sorry, and I will stop torturing you now...

Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Yes, I am aware that chickens don't have shepherds. But I thought if I called this "Chickherd's Pie" you would really think I had gone off my rocker. If anyone has alternate ideas for what I should call this, bring 'em on!In the meantime, here is how this little number was born. A little while ago I made this:

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Which I loved (I am a sucker for comfort food of any kind), and while I was eating it I thought, what if instead of a more conventional crust, I used mashed potatoes? And, what if instead of using regular mashed potatoes, I used THESE mashed potatoes???

Aligot Potatoes

I think my heart actually started beating faster.

So what you have here is a thick chicken pot pie base, with lots of carrots and peas and other good stuff, topped with a layer of cheesy mashed potatoes, and then baked until the potatoes are browned on top (but still gorgeously creamy underneath). You can make it in either individual dishes, or do it all in one casserole and scoop out the servings. Which will look like this.

Is anyone else salivating right now besides me?

Sorry. Anyway, here is a recipe mash-up of the chicken pot pie and the aligot potatoes, and if anyone has any better recipe title ideas, don't hold back.

CHICKEN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Serves 4

4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup frozen peas
1/1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 tablespoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add carrot and onion and saute for 6 minutes.

2. Add flour and stir to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add broth to carrot mixturem whisking constantly. Bring to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.

4. Add chicken, peas, thyme and season with salt and pepper.

5. Divide mixture among 4 single serving baking dishes. Preheat oven to 425.

6. Put sliced potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Add salt. Bring potatoes to a boil, partially cover and, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and wipe out pot.

7. Put potatoes, garlic and butter into food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add one cup of milk and process until smooth, about 30 seconds more.

8. Put potatoes back into pot over medium heat. Gradually stir in cheese, stirring continuously until cheese is melted and potatoes are smooth. If mixture becomes too thick, gradually stir in more milk until creamy.

9. Spread potatoes over chicken mixture. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until top of potatoes start to brown (watch it carefully). Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe

Baked Potato with Broccoli, Cheddar and Egg

I wasn't going to blog about this one, because it was going to be a little more trouble than usual to photograph. My usual approach to photographing all these dishes on the blog is to make a little extra, which then gets photographed after dinner and then popped into the fridge for the appreciative Southern husband to have for lunch later in the week. (I developed this method after my first approach, which was to photograph one of the servings BEFORE dinner. And since I am not the speediest photographer in the world...you guessed it. Lukewarm dinner. Or on some nights, cold dinner. Until it occurred to me that I could do it after dinner if I just made a little extra. D'oh!!)

Anyway, this meal shows up on the menu regularly because after macaroni and cheese and hamburgers, it is the teenager's favorite. Except for the broccoli, but I do have to get those vegetables in where I can. So when she was doublechecking to make sure it was on the menu, she also doublechecked to make sure I was photographing it. Which I wasn't planning to, because leftover baked potato and egg...not so much. The Southern husband is very agreeable, but even he has his limits. So I had only three potatoes on hand, none scheduled for a close-up.

That did not fly with the teenager. "It's my FAVORITE! You HAVE to put it on the blog! (Much of what gets said by the teenager involves capital letters and exclamation points.)

Good grief. Okay. So with a little fancy footwork in terms of an extra egg and some reheating, I managed to both take its picture AND serve it relatively hot, and everyone was happy, including the dog (who got the extra egg). In the meantime, the teenager and I both recommend this easy, filling, delicious dinner. You can substitute pretty much any veggie or cheese that you like.

BAKED POTATO WITH BROCCOLI, CHEDDAR AND EGG

• 1 Idaho potato, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, either poached or fried
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper

1. Prick the potato several times with fork and microwave until cooked through, about 15 minutes on full power.

2. Steam broccoli, or microwave for 3-5 minutes with a little water until crisp-tender.

3. Poach or fry one egg.

4. Split potato open and fluff insides with fork. Spread butter over top and season with salt and pepper. Arrange broccoli over top of potato and scatter cheese over broccoli. Microwave for 1 minute until cheese is just melting.

5. Place egg on top and break yolk so it spreads over all. Grind pepper over top and serve immediately.

Click here for Printable Recipe

Aligot Potatoes

I actually don't know if I have the words to describe the joy that is aligot potatoes.

I had never heard of them until a couple of years ago, when I ran across a recipe for them. Never saw them on a menu, never read about them, had no idea what "aligot" meant. Now mind you, I consider mashed potatoes one of the great pleasures of life, and I have tried all different approaches to them, none of them quite measuring up to my mother's homemade mashed potatoes that we get at Christmas. (One Christmas she mixed pureed turnips into them. Or maybe it was parsnips. That was the Christmas That Almost Wasn't. I have forgiven her, but it has taken a while.

Anyway, one of the things every mashed potato recipe tells you not to do, NEVER to do, is to "mash" them in your food processor. You are supposed to use a food mill (aggravating) or a hand masher (exhausting) or a ricer (the best approach, especially if you have a strapping Southern husband to help you). However, aligot potatoes are all about the food processor, which may be one of the reasons I love them so. That and the fact that they are incredibly, supernaturally, mind-blowingly delicious. Imagine if they invented a frosting that was the flavor of mashed potatoes and cheese -- that is aligot potatoes. Smooth, silky, laced with melted cheese, topped with ground pepper...mmmmm.

Here is my ultimate proof. I made them last night for dinner, and the teenager had her best friend coming over at dinnertime -- always a good opportunity for her to lobby for a pizza to be delivered. Since we were grilling porterhouse steaks to go with the potatoes, I thought hurray, more for me, and I okayed the pizza. She strolled into the kitchen as I was dishing out the aligot and said "What is THAT? Can I HAVE some?" This from a teenager that doesn't eat a thing that has any kind of separate components to it. She did ask me if there was anything in it besides potatoes, and I lied like a rug, told her it was potatoes only, and ladled some into a dish for her. Which she then carried around with her for the next half hour all around the house, taking little bites to make it last.

So there you go, aligot potatoes, a gift from the heavens. Make sure you only use Yukon Gold potatoes in this one.

ALIGOT POTATOES

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1. Put sliced potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Add salt. Bring potatoes to a boil, partially cover and, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and wipe out pot.

2. Put potatoes, garlic and butter into food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add one cup of milk and process until smooth, about 30 seconds more.

3. Put potatoes back into pot over medium heat. Gradually stir in cheese, stirring continuously until cheese is melted and potatoes are smooth. If mixture becomes too thick, gradually stir in more milk until creamy. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Print this!

Shrimp Salad with Baby Red Potatoes

By now you are probably catching on that shrimp is something we have a lot at the Jackson table. Besides the fact that they are Delicious and Nutritious, I've psychoanalized the reasons why they show up on my menu as much as they do and here's what I've come up with.

They are quick and easy and versatile and they aren't as fickle and unreliable as other fish. They won't fall apart on you, they won't stick to the pan, you can pretty much tell when they are done but not OVERdone. And they are just so pink and adorable.

COSTCO. They always have them and they are always great. I know I sound like a broken record, but I am a true believer and there you go.

But I think one of the main reasons is a sentimental one. My romantic Southern husband grew up in Georgia, and if you ever catch him on a day when he is a little tired (like YESTERDAY, when we stayed up until 2am waiting for a certain teenager to come home from the Green Day concert) his alluring Southern accent comes through loud and clear...but he was actually born in Jacksonville, Florida. (Isn't that perfect? Jackson? Jacksonville? Yes, I am easily entertained.)

His grandfather was a shrimper, and I have heard stories that sound like they are straight out of THE PRINCE OF TIDES (the happy parts!) about when he was a kid on his granddad's boat, and the many different shrimp dinners his granny would make from the day's catch. I just get this great picture of a little tan barefoot trouble-maker with the same grin he has today, tracking sand into the house and eating a shrimp supper that his granddad brought home and his granny cooked up. And so maybe that is one of the other reasons shrimp shows up on the menu so often.

Okay, now I feel all warm and fuzzy about my amazing Southern husband, and so here is a song that is one of my favorites because it reminds me so much of him.

There You Are

Sigh. Where was I?

This particular recipe comes from one of the many "community cookbooks" my father-in-law was always giving me when we came to visit. He was an enthusiastic cook, heavy on the hot sauce, and he had a whole collection of those comb-bound cookbooks that church groups are famous for -- the ones where everyone contributes a recipe. All of them were packed with variations on recipes for grits and okra and crayfish (man, do I wish we had good crayfish up here in Yankee territory)....and shrimp, in every possible configuration. This recipe is a great one to put together on a muggy summer evening -- just make sure the shrimp are good ones, and that both the shrimp and potatoes are chilled down well in an ice bath before you mix it all up.

SHRIMP SALAD WITH BABY RED POTATOES

• 1 pound shrimp, boiled, peeled and cut into pieces
• 3 boiled eggs, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons relish
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cups boiled baby red potatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size

Cool down both shrimp and potatoes in an ice bath. Combine all ingredients. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Can be made 6-8 hours ahead and chilled before serving.

Potato Salad with Bacon and Parsley

So, I should start by saying I am not the world's biggest potato salad fan. Frankly, if I am going to spend my carbs on a side dish, I like it to involve pasta or rice or even corn. And those potato salads with sour cream and mayo -- well, they are just a little heavy for me. I don't hate 'em, they just don't make my socks drop, if you know what I mean. But every once in a while I run across a new recipe that compels me to try another potato salad recipe in the hopes of finding one that I really like. And this one...I really like! First of all, it calls for new potatoes, and Fairway had gigantic bins of these adorable red and white ones:

Second, it calls for fresh chopped parsley, and this is the time of year when my herb garden starts taking over the world. They are the Herbs That Ate Manhattan. Okay, the Herbs That Ate Northern New Jersey. Here is the parsley in its natural habitat, pre-chopping:

This used to be not such an issue when we had Wilbur. Wilbur was our guinea pig, and he didn't have a lot of personality -- he was pretty much a baked potato with fur -- but man, he loved a good plate of basil and parsley, and could always be counted on to chow it down. Wilbur broke all world records for life expectancy, but finally keeled over last winter. We miss the old guy, actually more than I thought we would. Good old Wilbur.

But I digress. Last but not least, this potato salad also includes bacon, and c'mon, who doesn't like anything that involves bacon? All of this dressed with a light mustard viniagrette, and it is ready in two shakes. The longest part of this is the 20 minutes you spend boiling the potatos -- it really couldn't be easier. So here you go, a recipe for a potato salad that I actually LIKE. (Because I know you were worrying about that).

POTATO SALAD WITH BACON AND PARSLEY

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 4 slices bacon
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Put the potatoes in a pot with water to cover and one teaspoon salt and simmer until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Cut into quarters.

2. While potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble when cool.

3. In a large bowl, mix oil, vinegar, mustard, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss with potatoes, bacon and parsley.