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Hash Browns

Hash Browns

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Hash Browns

Yield: 4 Servings
Bon Appétit

There are two kinds of hash browns: The chunky, floury, vaguely brown but not crisp kind, and the lacy, crunchy, shredded version here. Guess which one we prefer?

  • ½cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or 6 TBS ghee
  • 3russet potatoes (about 1½ lb), peeled
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1tsp kosher salt, plus more

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foamy, about 3 minutes. Don’t let butter brown; reduce heat if needed. Skim off solids; discard. Using the coarse grater disk on a food processor or the largest holes on a box grater, shred potatoes. Transfer immediately to a large bowl of cold water; stir until water is cloudy. Drain and rinse potatoes well under cold running water to remove any excess starch, which can make hash browns gummy.

Transfer to a large kitchen towel. Gather together ends of towel and twist over sink, squeezing firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible (another step that ensures crisp results). Open towel and toss potatoes to loosen. Gather up towel and wring out potatoes once more. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and toss with pepper, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt (make sure seasonings are evenly distributed).

Heat 4 Tbsp. clarified butter or ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add potatoes and cook, undisturbed, until a deep golden crust forms on bottom, about 5 minutes. Break up potatoes with a heatproof rubber spatula and continue to cook, turning occasionally with spatula and adding 1–2 Tbsp. clarified butter or ghee if pan becomes dry or potatoes start to stick, until crisped and browned all over, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season with salt.

Skillet Hash Browns

Yield: 6 Servings
Bon Appétit

Here’s a skillet hash browns recipe that justifies the existence of that food processor grating disk (you didn’t throw it out, we hope). If you don’t have one, a box grater will do.

  • 5russet potatoes (about 3 lb), peeled, coarsely shredded
  • 1½tsp kosher salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 8TBS vegetable oil, divided
  • 2bunches scallions, greens and whites separated, thinly sliced
  • Coarse sea salt (such as Maldon)

Rinse potatoes in a colander under cold water until water runs clear. Squeeze firmly to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl. Add salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of potatoes; press gently into an even layer. Sprinkle with scallion whites. Top with remaining potatoes; press gently again. Cook until golden brown on bottom and sides, 10-15 minutes.

Slide hash browns onto a plate. Carefully place skillet upside down over hash browns and flip to invert into skillet, browned side up. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil around sides of skillet. Cook hash browns until bottom is golden brown, 10-15 minutes longer; slide onto a plate and season with sea salt. Top with scallion greens and cut into wedges.

DO AHEAD: Hash browns can be made 1 hour ahead. Place on a wire rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet and keep them in a 200° oven. Top with scallions before serving.

Lobster/Seafood Plate Chowder

Lobster/Seafood Plate Chowder

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Yield: 4 servings
Recipe from Bruce Frankel, Panache Restaurant, Cambridge, MA

We had this for New Year’s Eve… only once? Nope, lobster once, shrimp twice, lobster, shrimp and scallops once. This is wonderful stuff! Very simple to make, the recipe was featured on the cover of Food and Wine around 1987. Not a perfect substitute, but I converted this to use shrimp and scallops, and it is still great.  See photos.

  • 4live lobsters, 1½ lb each
  • – or –
  • 1½-2lb shrimp 
  • 8large sea scallops, foot removed 
  • 8cold-water lobster tails
  • 1½-2lb red potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • ½tsp salt
  • 6TBS unsalted butter
  • 1medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • minced fresh chives
  • cayenne pepper

Lobster version: 

Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Drop 2 lobsters head first into the boiling water, cover and cook for 3 minutes. With tongs, transfer the lobsters to the ice water and let soak until cool enough to handle. Repeat with the remaining 2 lobsters.

Break off the tail and claws from each lobster. Remove the meat from the claws and knuckles. Split the tails lengthwise in half, leaving the meat in the shell. Remove the light green tomalley from the body, pass through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.

Remove and discard any dark green matter from the bodies. Coarsely chop the carcasses and place in a large saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan, then set the lobster stock aside.

Shrimp version:

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells and tails. Place the shells and tails in a saucepan and add two cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan, then set the shrimp stock aside.

Lobster tail, shrimp, scallop combo version:

Bring enough water to cover the lobster tails to boil. Add the lobster tails and cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. When lobster tails are cool, remove from the shells and cut into bite sized pieces.

Add the shrimp shells and lobster tail shells to the saucepan and return water to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan, then set the seafood stock aside. Discard the shells.

All:

Return the stock to the pan and add cream and salt to the reserved lobster or shrimp stock. Simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Whisk in 4 TBS of the butter, 1 TBS at a time. Remove from the heat.

Potatoes:

Meanwhile, place the diced potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for about 3 minutes, the potatoes should still be very firm. Drain and rinse under cold water, drain well and set aside.

In a large skillet or saucepan, melt the remaining 2 TBS butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, for about 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.

Finish sauce and serve:

Pour in the cream sauce and add the reserved seafood. Simmer until the seafood is cooked through, for about 3 minutes, do not overcook.

Spoon the chowder into individual soup plates. If using, add a spoonful of the sieved tomalley to the sauce in each bowl. Garnish each with a pinch of chives and a dash of cayenne.

Wine Suggestion: California Pinot Blanc

Pot Roast (IP)

Pot Roast (IP)

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-pot-roast/

October 2017: I got an Instant Pot multi-cooker this year. I used this recipe for my pressure cooker test and it’s wonderful. The recipe takes great advantage of the multiple functions of the Instant Pot. The meat is sauteed, then pressure cooked. After that, the potatoes and carrots get a six minute pressure cook and Bob’s your uncle, it’s pot roast.  You need an Instant Pot.

  • 2-3lb USDA Choice Grade chuck roast
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 2small onions, sliced
  • 4cloves garlic, minced
  • 8oz white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1cup unsalted homemade chicken stock
  • 1TBS soy sauce, optional
  • 1TBS fish sauce, optional
  • 1pinch of dried rosemary
  • 1pinch of thyme
  • 2bay leaves
  • 2TBS red wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze
  • 2lbs russet potatoes, quartered (means quarter lengthwise then half making 8 pieces)
  • 3medium to large carrots, chopped in 1-inch pieces
  • 3stalks celery, chopped in 1-inch pieces (optional)
  • flour and butter in equal amounts as required for roux.


Prepare the Chuck Roast:

Pat roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and ground black pepper.

Prepare the Pressure Cooker:

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add the olive oil into the pot, coating the oil over the whole bottom of the pot and heat until shimmering.

Brown the Chuck Roast:

Add the seasoned chuck roast into the pot, then let it brown for 10 minutes on each side (don’t need to keep flipping). Remove and set aside.

Sauté the Onion and Garlic:

Reduce the heat to medium (Instant pot: press CANCEL button, then press SAUTÉ button, then MINUS). Add in the sliced onions and stir. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper to season if you like. Cook the onions for 3 to 5 minutes to soften. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and season with another pinch of salt. Stir and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes until mushrooms start to brown.

Deglaze:

Pour in a dash of red wine or balsamic vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, 1 pinch of dried rosemary, 1 pinch of thyme, and 2 bay leaves into the pressure cooker. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Pressure Cook the Chuck Roast:

Place the chuck roast back into the pot with all its meat juice. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 45 minutes.

Let pressure naturally release for 25 minutes. Open the value to release any remaining pressure then open the lid carefully.

Remove the pot roast and set aside. Cover the roast with aluminum foil and let it rest while pressure cooking the vegetables.

Pressure Cook the Vegetables:

Submerge the quartered potatoes into the sauce and stack the chopped carrots and optional celery on top of the potatoes. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Cover the pressure vent with a towel and do a Quick Release. Open the lid carefully. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove vegetables to bowl.

Make the Gravy:

Carefully pour the sauce into a large measuring cup. In a suitably sized saucepan make a roux of 50:50 flour and butter (1½ TBS per cup) for the amount of sauce you have and cook for a couple of minutes. De-grease the sauce and pour into the saucepan. Cook, stirring until thickened and boiling. Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Serve:

Slice the meat against the grain. Serve with the gravy, potatoes & carrots and celery.

Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en Papillote

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Yield: 2 Servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 1993: I don’t make this often, but I’ve been doing it for a long time. This is a delicious fish and vegetable dish and you can vary the veg for new versions. I have included a simple dish of Sliced Potatoes with Chives below. Both recipes double or triple easily. You’ll get extra practice crimping parchment.  I will get some photos together soon showing the crimping process.

  • 26-8 oz boneless skinless salmon fillets
  • 1leek
  • 2carrots
  • 1medium zucchini
  • ½lb snow pea pods
  • dry white wine
  • vegetable oil
  • salt & black pepper
  • Parchment (baking paper)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cut the base from the leeks and cut the leeks in the green white area. Discard the dark green leaves or save for stock. The remaining leeks should be about four inches long. Cut the leeks vertically in half. Separate the leaves and wash under running water to remove any grit or dirt. Re-stack the leaves and cut in half to make stacks two inches long. Julienne the leaks to form slender match sticks. All the vegetables should be cut to the same size.

Peel the carrots and cut into two inch lengths. Cut lengthwise and julienne to form match sticks the same size as the leeks.

Slice 1/8 to 1/4 inch planks from zucchini lengthwise. Julienne on the diagonal.

Remove the vein from the spine of the pea pods and trim the ends. Julienne the pea pods on a diagonal to the same width as the carrots and leaks.

Cut about a ten inch square of parchment and fold in half to make a 5 by 10 inch rectangle. Fold the open sides over to make about a half inch seam. Open the parchment again and brush a light coating of oil around the edges. This will help seal in the steam when the packages cook. For a fancier presentation, cut the paper into a ten by twenty inch rectangle, fold over to form a 10 by 10 square and cut into a heart shape. Be sure to leave one edge uncut.

In the center of one side of the parchment make a bed of the vegetables, using one quarter of each per package. Place one of the salmon portions on top of each vegetable bed. Pour a tablespoon of white wine over the salmon. Close the other side of the paper over the salmon and re-fold the packages. Fold the paper a couple of times and crimp the edges well to insure a tight seal.

Place the completed papillotes in a shallow sided baking sheet and bake for approximately fifteen minutes.

The papillotes will be very hot when taken from the over. They can be placed on individual plates and opened at the tables or opened in the kitchen and the contents placed on the plates. In either case, you might want to cut a small slit in the edge of each papillote and tip the package to let the excess liquid drain before serving.

Serve with Sliced Potatoes with Chives and a white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.

Sliced Potatoes with Chives

Yield: 4 Servings
  • 4medium potatoes
  • water
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1TBS minced chives

Peel and slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place in 1 1/2 quart sauce pan. Rinse a couple of times to remove excess starch, then add enough water to the pan to cover by 1/2 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt to pan.

Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to strong simmer. Cook until tender, approximately 12 minutes.

Drain potatoes but keep in sauce pan. Add butter and chives to pan and cover for a few minutes. Carefully stir or swirl to coat and place in serving dish.

Oven Roast Potatoes & Shallots

Oven Roast Potatoes & Shallots

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Adapted from Food & Wine

1984: A simply dish that makes a wonderful accompaniment to a roast. Shallots cooked this way are a great treat.

  • 2lb potatoes
  • 1lb shallots
  • salt
  • pepper
  • rendered beef fat or commercial duck/goose fat

Peel potatoes and half crosswise. Place in pan, add water to cover and add salt to taste (1-2 tsp). Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Drain.

Remove loose and broken skin from shallots. It is not necessary to peel shallots

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise twice to quarter. Each piece is now 1/8th potato.

Paint sheet pan(s) with rendered fat. Arrange potatoes and shallots in single layer, drizzle with fat. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 35 minutes in 325°F oven while roast finishes. After removing roast raise oven temperature to 400°F. Remove shallots to dish and cover. Continue roasting potatoes for another 25-30 minutes.

Chicken, Sausage, Peppers, and Potatoes

Chicken, Sausage, Peppers, and Potatoes

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Yield: 6 Servings
Adapted from FoodWishes
  • 4large Italian sausage links (Hot is best, but a mix of hot and mild, if needed)
  • 1TBS olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 6-8bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2large handfuls, seeded and cut sweet peppers
  • 1sliced small red onion
  • ½sliced yellow onion
  • 4large Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
  • 2generous tsp dried Italian Seasoning or Herbs de Provence
  • fresh Italian parsley to garnish, optional

Par-cook sausage:
In a large skillet, partially cook the sausage in a TBS of oil over medium high heat for 3 minutes per side. When you flip to the second side, poke the sausage with a knife to release oil and juices.

Remove from heat and cool til able to handle. Cut sausage into 1-2 inch chunks. I use a mix of hot and mild, and cut the hot diagonally and the mild straight.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Trim up the chicken and make two deep slashes through the skin, down to the bone.

Put peppers in large mixing bowl, add the sliced onion and the quartered potatoes. Add chicken, sausages and all juices and fat. Season with salt, pepper and herbs. Drizzle with olive oil and mix everything well.

Pour into a large roasting pan and arrange to space thighs with the skin side up. Get potatoes exposed to the heat. Drizzle with more olive oil and season with salt.

Cook in the center rack of the oven for 1 hour. Check for doneness, the thighs should be at least 185°F.

Potato Kielbasa Skillet

Potato Kielbasa Skillet

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/potato-kielbasa-skillet

This is a great simple, tasty meal for a weeknight.

  • 1lb red potatoes, cubed
  • water to cover
  • ¾lb kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • ½cup chopped onion
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 2TBS brown sugar
  • 2TBS cider vinegar
  • 1TBS Dijon mustard
  • ½tsp dried thyme
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • 4cups fresh baby spinach
  • 5bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
  • Special Equipment: 5-6 qt covered pan.

Cover potatoes with water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until just tender.

In the covered pan, sauté kielbasa and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; sauté 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.

Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon; cover, cook until spinach is wilted. Stir as necessary to wilt and combine spinach.

Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites

Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites

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Yield: about three dozen pieces
Source lost

2014: My daughter Samantha made this or something similar and this may be the same recipe.  As they say, “It’s good though…”  Makes a nice appetizer.

  • 1lb small or medium red potatoes
  • 2½tsp salt, divided
  • 1½tsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 12oz to 1 lb thick-cut bacon
  • 1cup (8 oz) sour cream
  • 1-3tsp hot sauce
  • Salt and pepper


Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Wash and dry the potatoes. Chop them into 1-inch pieces, keeping the chunks roughly the same size even if they aren’t the exact same shape. Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of salt. Once the water begins to boil, cook the potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes, until you can stick a fork into them without too much resistance. You want the potatoes to be almost, but not fully, cooked through so they won’t fall apart during the next steps.

Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the rosemary, olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Cut the strips of bacon into thirds. Wrap each potato bite in a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil spaced an inch or two apart. You may need to cook the potatoes in two batches.

Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, then flip each piece. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and as crisp as you like it. Mix the sour cream and hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the potato bites on a plate and serve alongside the dip.

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

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Yield: 4 Servings
Gayle Nowell, adapted from …

Gayle found this in… Sunset or some similar magazine. We’ve adopted and adapted it many times. Goes great with a holiday dinner.

  • 1lb yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes or mix, cut into chunks
  • 2lb baby carrots, halved lengthwise
  • 1-2red, yellow, or sweet onions, cut into wedges
  • olive oil or duck fat
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2lb haricots verts or green beans, trimmed

Options:

  • 2parsnips
  • 3TBS rendered duck fat instead of olive oil
  • Sprigs of fresh rosemary or sprinkle with dry

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray.

Toss potatoes or parsnips, carrots, and onion in oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to prepared baking sheet and roast 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss beans with oil, salt, and pepper; after 30 minutes, arrange beans on the roasted vegetables and cook 15 more minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Gratin Dauphinois

Gratin Dauphinois

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Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe from Elizabeth E. Skipper

This quintessential French dish differs from most potato gratins in that there is no cheese used. Try this and you will never miss the cheese again.

See “How to cook the perfect gratin dauphinois” for more information.

  • 1-2cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1-2TBS butter, softened
  • Kosher salt
  • pepper
  • nutmeg
  • 3-5lbs Russet potatoes (see below for quantity)
  • 1-4cups heavy cream

Press or smack the garlic to get the juice flowing. Rub inside of baking dish with garlic. Let the garlic dry on the dish. Now butter the dish generously.

The size of the baking dish sets the quantities:

1½ quart: 3 pounds potatoes, 1 to 1½ cups of heavy cream

8 x 11: 3 pounds potatoes, 2 to 2½ cups of heavy cream

9 x 13: 5 pounds potatoes, 1 quart of heavy cream

Slice the potatoes thin. Use mandolin or food processor with the slicer attachment, thinner is best.

Place a single layer of potatoes in the bottom of dish. Salt fairly heavily. Add “enough” pepper. Sprinkle on very little nutmeg. Pour on some heavy cream. Continue adding layers, seasoning and cream. Cover the top layer with cream.

Bake: (for 1½ quart baking dish, larger dish may need more time)

325°F oven, 1¾ – 2 hours,

350°F oven, 1½ hours.

400°F oven, 1 – 1¼ hours.

Test with skewer or long tined fork. Should be tender in center, browned on top. If it gets too brown, lower temperature or cover loosely with foil.