one potato, two potato

Deborah
A crowd-pleasing recipe is always something good to have in your back pocket. When catering large buffet parties I always like to include a dish that will knock everybody's socks off. I look to classic comfort foods for this, something that will resonate with most guests and ensure that people feel pampered and spoiled.

It is hard to go wrong with the fresh potatoes coming into the farm stands these days.

French chef and cookbook writer Madeleine Kamman's potato gratin suits the bill completely. This recipe is uncomplicated to make and deeply satisfying to eat. I always include it in my annual family Christmas dinner. It a great compliment for large spreads and goes especially well with roasts and braises of any kind.

These two well thumbed copies of her books have served me well. I had the pleasure of taking a cooking class with Ms. Kamman several years ago and my copy of her The New Making of a Cook is signed!


Last weekend I made this gratin for a party I catered for 30 guests. There was a lot of peeling, I went through ten pounds of potatoes and more than 1 quart of cream, but the beauty of the recipe is that it can easily be scaled up or down. The potatoes can be peeled and sliced the day before cooking and stored in the fridge completely covered in water. Once baked it can be kept warm in an oven for an hour or two before serving. Very forgiving, this recipe won't fail you. It is rich and decadent and perfect for a dinner party.

Potato Gratin
-based on a recipe by Madeleine Kamman
1 garlic clove
2 Tbs. butter
4 large potatoes, thinly sliced
pinch of ground nutmeg
s &p to taste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Rub garlic onto the bottom amd sides of an oven proof cassarole dish. I use a paper towl to hold the garlic and really crush it down as I rub. Discard the remains of the garlic and rub the dish with the butter. Layer the potato slices in  the dish, adding salt and pepper and nutmeg to each layer as you go. Pour the cream into the pan and shake a bit to distribute around the potatoes. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, using a spatula every now and then during baking to push the potatoes down and allow the cream to rise up. There will be a golden brown crust when the dish is finished baking.
Will keep for at least two hours in a warm oven before serving if needed.

serves four.

Amanda
MMMMMM. How can this recipe not be delicious? As this would be a side dish, and not a main meal, you would pair a wine with the main course. However, the simplicity of this dish, and the "basic" flavor profile of really allows it to be quite wine-friendly.

I have a few thoughts in mind regarding wine choice. For a white, you could go in one of two directions - complement, or contrast. Both these schools of thought work quite well when it comes to pairing wine with food. A rich, buttery Chardonnay would be a great match if you are looking to "complement" the potatoes. The similar qualities in the wine and food are perfect together. If you are looking for a contrast, I would look towards something with crisp acidity to "cut through" the rich, buttery flavors of the potatoes, perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc. A "contrasting" wine will help cleanse the palate as well. Why not choose one of each and see for yourself?

For reds - though many would work, I am thinking specifically of Beaujolais. How could I not? Fall and the holiday season makes this delightful red a real treat.  Most of you are probably familiar with Beaujolais Nouveau, and Beaujolais Villages. What I'm thinking of are the Cru Beaujolais - these are site specific, made from the top Villages. The wine takes the name of the village from which it came. There are 10 different "crus", all producing wines with different characteristics. The wines are food friendly, and are a must-have at Thanksgiving. And, even the Cru Beaujolais are not too expensive. Most can be found for between $10 and $20.

The grape used for the production of Beaujolais is Gamay. For Deb's Gratin, I would choose a Beaujolais that is a little fuller bodied. A Morgon would be nice, with its earthy undertones.  A Moulin-a-Vent also would work well. A little oak aging gives this wine nice structure and roundness, perfect for standing up to the richness of Deb's dish. Sometimes, you might see the words "futs de chene" (oak casks) on the label which will indicate the wine has seen some oak.  These wines will typically be the more full-bodied of the Beaujolais. These reds have great depth, and are very fruit-forward. If you are not familiar with these wines, definitely check them out! For consistenly good wines, look for Georges Duboeuf. 

The store wine store I work for just got in several different DuBoeuf Cru Beaujolais at the shop. If you are interested in reading more about them, please check out Carlo Russo's Wine and Spirit World on line.

A seasonal gratin

Deborah

The goodies are piled high at the farmer's market today. I visited the market on Dahlia Street, outside the Queens Botanical Garden, to pick up some produce for the weekend. The radishes and all the beautiuful greens were particularly tempting.

 

This is the moment I have been waiting for: the first crisp tart apples of the season. The first bite, a resounding snap of the skin followed by a rush of sweet juicy flesh always sends me over the moon! The arugula looked fantastic too, fragrant with that nutty aroma. Ah, the end of summer. Not so bad I guess.

The market had so many pretty bundles of leafy greens, but these mustard greens looked so tender and fresh I had to have them. There were some young leeks being offered as well and my cooking fantasies began. I had an inclination to make some type of egg based gratin with the mustard greens and leeks, but I was a little nervous because mustard greens can be sharp and domineering in a dish. I was concerned they would be too bitter to make a nice egg dish. Taking it cautiously I sauteed up the leeks and some shallots and then added the chopped mustard greens, cooking everything down till tender. I finished the cooking with a splash of white wine and some grated nutmeg for a little sweetness. So far so good. The greens had a tiny bite, but it was fairly mild. Everything goes into the food processor with the eggs and some grated cheese. I poured it all into a buttered baking dish and topped it with more cheese and then into the oven for 20 minutes.

It came out looking so pretty, and then I tasted it. Yippee!! Sooooooooo GOOD! The greens were definitely assertive, but not overbearing. They gave the dish a really mature deep flavor, so much more interesting than if I had used spinach. 

Mustard Greens & Leek Gratin
3 Tbs. Butter
1 leek, white and green parts chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cups chopped mustard greens
splash of white wine
1/2 teas. grated nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
4 eggs
3 Tbs chopped fresh herbs (any one or combination of parsley, tarragon, basil. dill)
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Pre-heat oven to 375F
Butter a small baking dish with one Tbs. of butter and set aside. Heat the 2 remaining Tbs butter in a saute pan. Add the leeks and the shallots and cook slowly for about 8 minutes. Add the chopped mustard greens and let it cook down slowly for 10 minutes. When the greens have wilted add a splash of white wine and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and continue to simmer for 5 minutes till all the vegetables are tender. Put the cooked greens mixture into a food processor and add the eggs and the Gruyere cheese. Process for about 30 seconds till ingredients are a uniform size and well combined. Pour mixture in to the buttered baking dish and top with the Romano cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until eggs are set.

serves two as a lunch entree or 4 as a side dish

back to reality

Deborah
One of the bonus effects of going away is coming home again with eyes wide open. My week at the beach in beautiful Antigua cleansed my brain and soul. The minute I walked back into my home I saw dust, disorganization and STUFF. At least that is how it struck me. My life here is complicated and weighted down with so many things. Travel lightens your load and allows you to exist for a brief time anyway, with the bare essentials.
The island of Antigua charmed us again with it's simplicity and pride of place.  The first thing that hits you is color- my winter starved eyes drank it all in- the houses, the flowers, the sea.

Some of the beautifully colored buildings of Antigua.

The resort we favor, Hawksbill is streatched out over nearly a mile of pristine and remote beachfront property that has old-school charm and a down-at-the-heels rustic appeal that is impossible to create- it's authentic and weather beaten and suits us to a T.

Our little beachfront cottage home away from home.

While we were there we became aware of a couple of guests with a handful of small children awaiting the momentous return of their husbands who had spent 76 days at sea rowing across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Antigua harbor, raising money for charity!  The two British rowers arrived not with bulging arm muscles as we expected, but rail thin and weather beaten as mountain climbers spending a month on K2. The reunion unfolded over the course of the week as the rowers with their children in tow slowly lost their dazed expressions and regained their land legs like returning astronauts.
We were vicariously exhuasted and exhilerated by a job well done without having to leave our lounge chairs!

And then the cooking class. I dragged myself from a reclining position to head up the hills to Nicole's Table where chef and culinary educator Nicole Arthurton conducts classes from her beautiful home featuring a huge veranda with sweeping views of the island. Nicole's style is breezy and casual.

Everyone gets busy prepping the meal.

Nicole puts the finishing touches on our feast.

The menu was classic Caribbean including West Indian pumpkin soup, roasted vegetables with plantains and some of the freshest snapper I have ever encountered that we stuffed and baked.

The big tip of the day from Nicole was to add a scotch bonnet pepper (one of the hottest peppers around) to the soup pot for flavor without the heat. The pepper is fished out at the end of the cooking and can be served on the side for those who like things fiery. Genius! I asked Nicole if any other chili pepper could be substituted and got a resounding NO! the flavor can't be replicated. Well ok, I'm convinced.
We ended the meal with a beautifully moist and dense Key Lime Rum cake made from tiny, juicy local limes. There was enough for me to bring back a slice to my husband who was still glued to his beach chair as if he had just rowed across the Atlantic (sorry hon, I know you work really hard, kiss).

Here is Nicole's recipe for West Indian Pumpkin Soup. Don't forget the scotch bonnet peppers, but if you can't find them, try the soup anyway, it is a winner. Amanda, we had some very nice, light and fruity Argentine wine with the meal, a Trivento Tribu Sauvignon Blanc 2009. But maybe you have something else in mind?

West Indian Pumpkin Soup
-from Nicole's Table

3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. fresh thyme
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lb. pumpkin, peeled and chopped
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water
1 whole scotch bonnet pepper

s & p to taste
a dash of ground nutmeg for garnish
1/4 cup heavy cream, optional

In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and celery and cook till translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook another two minutes. Add the carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin and some salt and saute the vegetables for about 10 minutes till they start to soften. Add the stock or water and the scotch bonnet pepper (be careful to leave it whole). Bring the soup to a boil and then lower heat and cover to simmer for 15-20 minutes. The vegetables should be fork tender. Remove the scotch bonnet pepper and puree the soup with and immersion blender or in batches in a food prossesor. Adjust the seasoning of the blended soup and add the nutmeg and cream if you are using it.
Heat through to barely a simmer before serving.

Amanda
It sounds like you had a wonderful time, Deb! The pictures are beautiful and really tell the story of beautiful scenery and culture - and a great vacation! And the class in which you participated seems like it was educational and fun at the same time. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!


Deb, are scotch bonnet peppers difficult to come by? Where would you suggest looking - farmers' markets? Whole Foods? Fairway? Seems like the soup would be delicious without them too, as you mentioned. But, at the same time, I would think they would lend something unique and distinct to the soup. I would definitely want to try to track them down!


The recipe seems nice and straightforward. The Trivento wine you described is a great choice for this soup. I would choose something from Argentina as well. I've written before about wines from Argentine producer Susana Balbo. I am a huge fan of hers, and often suggest wines from her terrific line-up. She produces wines under the "Balbo" label which tend to be fairly pricey (albeit delicious!). Her "Crios" line (which means 'offspring') are less expensive and incredibly wonderful. The Crios label consists of a Malbec, Rose of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Torrontes. All are outstanding, and affordable at approximately $11.99 per bottle. The wines achieve high ratings from wine critics year after year.

I would pair either the Torrontes or Rose of Malbec with the West Indian Pumpkin Soup. Torrontes has beautiful aromatics, combined with the exquisite peach flavors of a Viognier, and the crisp acidity of a Sauvignon Blanc. There is plenty of fruit, so if you do find that scotch bonnet pepper, and would like to enjoy it with the soup after it is removed, the heat will be quelled by the wine.


The Rose of Malbec would also be a wonderful complement to the soup. The strawberry and spice flavors of the wine would make a scrumptious match to this West Indian treat!

trying tapas

Deborah
Tapas are such a treat for those doing the eating. For the ones doing the cooking it is another story. This traditional small plates bar food of Spain can make a great party theme, as Amanda suggested in the last post, but not for the feint of heart. Tapas, like hors d'oeuvres, are labor intensive - lots of little things need to be prepared. Such is the case with the classic Spanish tapas dish croquettes. I was curious about croquettes because they seem to be featured on all tapas menus. Having never made them before a little research was needed.

The classic recipes I found on-line described a bechamel sauce based paste that is chilled and then rolled in breadcrumbs and egg and then deep fried. Really, just a thick bechamel sauce? Um, yeah. Bechamel is a classic white sauce of butter and flour that is thinned with milk. I have tasted traditional croquettes in tapas restaurants and it had never occured to me that this was how they were made.

Ok, let's try it. Most of the recipes call for chopped ham to be added as the flavoring. In keeping with our vegetable point of view I decided to go with swiss chard, sauteing it with some onions and garlic.

I confess I was feeling skeptical about the whole deal. A sludgy paste of flour dipped in bread crumbs and FRIED! I dont know. Didn't really sound healthy or good.

Making the bechamel did nothing to assuage my skeptism. It comes out like grade school paste. Not really appetizing. I folded in my cooked chard and then refrigerated the mush overnight as the various recipes suggested. Next day: form the croquettes, dip, dip, dip and fry.

The assembly line.

Still not convinced I took a bite. YO that is GOOD!!! I can't believe how yummy they came out! Creamy and crispy with a rich flavor from the chard. Kind of like a savory doughnut, which seems obvious now. I am stunned.

When would I make this again? I don't know, it isn't really everyday cooking as it is so time consuming and wont be appearing on any weight watchers list. I almost want to plan a whole tapas party around them. Eat them right out of the fryer and bliss will follow!

Swiss Chard Croquettes
-adapted from Tapas Recipes, small plates from Spain

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 bunch swiss chard, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic finely minced
½ cup onion, chopped
7 Tbs. Butter
¾ cup flour
2 ½ cups cold milk
1/2 teas. ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 cub of bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
olive oil or vegetable oil for frying

Heat oil in a sauté pan and add the chard, garlic and onions. Cook for 10 minutes until the chard is tender. Drain chard and set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the flour, stirring continuously. Allow the flour to cook in the butter for a couple of minutes, continuing to stir.
Start adding the cold milk little by little, stirring all the while until you have a thick, smooth sauce.  Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the cooked chard and continue to cook for 3- 4 minutes. The end result should be quite thick. Let the mixture cool completely - it is usually a good idea to leave it overnight.
Take a scant tablespoon of the mixture and form into a croqueta, a 1 1/2 - 2 inch cylinder. Roll the croqueta in the breadcrumbs, then coat in the beaten egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs again. Make sure the breadcrumbs are always dry to ensure an even coating.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in a large, heavy-based pan until the temperature reaches 350ºF or a cube of bread turns golden brown in 20-30 seconds. Fry in batches of no more than 3 or 4 for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slatted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

makes about 36 croquettes

Amanda
I'm definitely willing to give this one a try! I had a very light lunch and now it is 3:30 and my stomach is growling reading this post! By the way, in case you were wondering - guess what I had for lunch? Brussel Sprouts!!! Leftover from last night. The ones I made following Denise Landis' recipe! Outstanding! In fact, not only did I have them for lunch, but my mother in-law is coming for dinner tonight and guess what is on the menu?! Yep - you got it - Brussel Sprouts with Sherry and Pecans. Can't wait. Might even shake things up a bit and add some carmelized shallots. Serving them alongside salmon.


Back to the croquettes and the Tapas idea...my first inclination was to suggest Pinot Noir. But, if I were to do a Tapas themed night at my house, I would be pouring Spanish wines. And I would have both red and white. So, starting with red - I want something simple. Again, the context in which you are drinking the wine is important. I don't want an expensive, complex, serious wine for a fun, light-hearted night with friends. If "fun" food is served, I want a "fun" wine to match. Something light, fruity and food-friendly to match a variety of the foods that will be enjoyed. Go for a Grenache, or perhaps Tempranillo.

These days, I am enjoying a delicious, affordable Garnacha (Grenache) from Spain called Evodia. The Garnacha comes from old vines, and the wine offers sweet fruit, and is very smooth drinking. It's easy-going, and not overly complex. I love the idea of this wine with these croquettes! Evodia can be found for around $8.99. If you can't find the Evodia, ask your local shop for a recommendation on a nice, affordable Garnacha.


For white, Cava would be a wonderful choice. Cava is a sparkling white - Spain's answer to Champagne. Just a great option for a Tapas themed party. Cristalino Brut Cava is a big seller here at Wine and Spirit World. And at $7.99 a bottle, it's just the perfect crowd-pleasing sparkler! The Spanish varietals used are Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo. This is such a crisp wine with bright citrus flavors and hints of green apple. A terrific match for fried foods! And, extremely versatile. Renowned wine critic Stephen Tanzer from the International Wine Cellar calls the Cristalino an "extraordinary sparkling wine for the price".

Tapas, sparkling white and wonderfully fruity reds - this is definitely a recipe for an incredible night with friends!