Category: Side Dish

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Greek-Style Garlic Lemon Potatoes

Greek-Style Garlic Lemon PotatoesCooks Illustrated

Serves 4

Published May 1, 2002.

I roughly measured everything. I thought it was okay, nothing special.

Why this recipe works

When well prepared, Greek-style garlic and lemon potatoes are crusty, nicely browned, and accented by a full (but not overpowering) lemon flavor and plenty of garlic bite. To arrive at our best recipe for Greek-style garlic and lemon potatoes, we chose Yukon Golds and browned them in a nonstick skillet in butter and vegetable oil for great flavor and golden color, before covering the pan to allow the potatoes to fully cook. We added lemon juice and zest, four cloves of garlic, and a sprinkling of salt and fresh oregano to finish our Greek-style potato recipe.
If your potatoes are larger than the size we recommend, you may have to increase the covered cooking time by up to 4 minutes. Though a nonstick pan makes cleanup easier, it is not essential.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (7 to 8 ounces each, about 2 pounds total), peeled and cut lengthwise into 8 wedges (see illustration below)
  • 4 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat vegetable oil and butter in heavy-bottomed 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts and foaming subsides, swirling pan occasionally. Add potatoes in single layer; cook until golden brown (pan should sizzle but not smoke), about 6 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes so second cut sides are down; cook until deep golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover tightly, and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 5 minutes.
  2. While potatoes cook, combine garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and oregano in small bowl. When potatoes are tender, add garlic-lemon mixture, salt, and pepper; stir carefully (so as not to break potato wedges) to distribute. Cook, uncovered, until seasoning mixture is heated through and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley, stir gently to distribute; serve immediately.

Step-by-Step: Cutting Potato Wedges

Halve the potato lengthwise and, holding the knife perpendicular to the board, cut each half in half lengthwise to make quarters. Holding the knife at 45 degrees to the board, cut each quarter in half lengthwise, dividing the potato into a total of eight equal-sized wedges.

Posted on » by Dana & Nancy » Theme:

Roasted Parsnip and Vanilla Chocolate Soup

From foodnetwork.com, Robert Irvine – Dinner Impossible

Roasted Parsnip and Vanilla Chocolate Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds parsnips (about 4 or 5 large parsnips)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (2 tablespoons to brush on parsnips and 2 tablespoons to brush on bread for croutons)
  • 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick or 1/2 cup)
  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 2 quarts chicken stock
  • 1 whole vanilla bean, preferably Tahitian (sold 1 or two to a jar in the spice section of the store) or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (preferably from real vanilla bean as opposed to artificial flavoring)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 epee loaf French bread
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
  • 1 cup vanilla white chocolate chips (recommended: Hershey’s Premier White Chips)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 fresh lemon or lime, halved crosswise (1/2 to squeeze into batch of soup and 1/2 to cut into wedges to serve to guests)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill leaves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Peel parsnips, and cut into 1-inch chunks, brush lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy cleanup). Roast until the parsnips begin to soften (as tested with a knife blade) and until the tips begin to turn golden brown. This takes about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes while you start the other ingredients in the stockpot. (Leave oven on for toasting of croutons.)
  3. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently saute the onion until translucent. (This takes about 10 minutes, but the more important thing is that they look translucent.) Add the chicken stock, slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot and add along with the vanilla pod itself. Increase heat to medium, add the roasted parsnips, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Once you have the soup underway, toast the croutons in the oven which is already preheated to 400 degrees F. Cut the epee loaf into 3/4-inch thick slices. Brush the bread with oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet (important for cleanup purposes). Sift dark cocoa over the bread and toast briefly in the oven, just to make crispy. Remove and set aside.
  5. Stir the white chocolate chips into the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes, to allow them to melt and to integrate flavors.
  6. Remove soup from heat, discard vanilla pod, and stir in heavy cream. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (Remember, when using an immersion blender, the blade end has to be immersed, or it will make a big mess.) Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice into the pot and stir to combine. (Note: If you hold the sliced end of the fresh lemon or lime against your palm while you squeeze in the juice, the seeds are likely to stay in the rind.)
  7. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges and dark chocolate dusted croutons.
Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Strawberry Salad with Chocolate Balsamic Dressing

Strawberry Salad with Chocolate Balsamic Dressing

  • spinach or arugula leaves (I used mixed greens)
  • cucumber (I used a whole English cucumber peeled and deseeded)
  • sliced strawberries (I used about 3 cups)
  • feta cheese
  • walnut or pecan halves (most of a little container)
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (I used probably double)
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar (I used table sugar)
  • 1/4 cup (25g or two squares) dark chocolate, 75% pure
  1. Divide the greens between the plates. Slice the cucumber length-ways, seed, and slice it into half-moons. Arrange the cucumber, sliced strawberries, and feta cheese over the greens. Drizzle dressing on top.
  2. To make the dressing: place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan, add the sugar, and dissolve it over a gentle heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate. Leave to cool at room temperature.
  3. I doubled the vinegar because I let the sugar caramelize then dumped in the vinegar and it turned the sugar to a rock. By the time it melted the whole thing was a thick syrup that I knew would harden so I added more vinegar. It ended up pretty thick (looks like molasses)

Do not refrigerate or dressing will solidify.