Brussels sprout and potato gratin with chestnut crumb

December 16, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

Topped with toasty breadcrumbs and chestnuts for added crunch, this creamy, garlicky gratin is pure comfort-food joy. Get stuck in to reveal the beautiful veggies just beneath the surface.

Recipe by Jamie Oliver

Serves 8

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
2 large potatoes, scrubbed, thinly sliced into rounds
2 cups (500ml) low-fat milk
4 fl oz (100ml) double cream
7oz (200g) creme fraiche
1.5lbs (600g) Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced or shredded using a food processor
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan
3oz (50g) stale wholegrain bread
3oz (50g) vacuum-packed chestnuts (from delis or gourmet food shops) or macadamias, finely chopped
4 tsp olive oil
Green salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375F/190°C.
Melt the butter in a 12″ by 8″ (30cm x 20cm) flameproof baking dish over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and half the thyme, and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the sliced potato and stir well, then pour over the milk.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly to release the starch from the potato slices, for 3 minutes or until the potato is heated through.

Remove from the heat and stir through the cream and creme fraiche, then fold through the Brussels sprouts. Add the lemon zest and half the parmesan. Season, and stir gently to combine, before grating over the remaining 1/2 cup (40g) parmesan.

Place the bread in a food processor and pulse to coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the chestnuts, oil and remaining thyme, and stir well to combine.
Sprinkle the chestnut crumb over the top of the vegetable mixture.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and the top is bubbling and golden.

Remove the gratin from the oven and set aside for a few minutes to cool slightly, then serve with a crisp green salad on the side.

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides

“Dilled” baby potatoes

June 25, 2020June 25, 2020 Belinda1 Comment

This is the time of year we love a pot of these along with some grilled meat or fish.
They are absolutely divine and very more-ish. Do try them

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24 tiny new potatoes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Scrub and dry the potatoes. Melt the butter in a heavy oven-proof casserole with a tight-fitting cover over low heat Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Coat with the butter.
Cover and cook over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Shake the casserole occasionally. The potatoes are done when they can be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Toss with the dill and serve at once.

* What I have also done is added 1 heaped tsp dried dill weed with the butter then added the fresh dill in at the end. Depends how much you like the taste of dill of course!

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides

Crispy pan potatoes

December 9, 2019 Belinda

Who can resist a pan filled with crispy, golden potatoes? Serve this easy, impressive side dish as an alternative to classic roast potatoes for your dinner party or Christmas lunch.
From Delicious magazine.

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Serves 8

3lbs (1.5kg) waxy baking potatoes, thinly sliced
A few sprigs each fresh thyme and rosemary, and sage and bay leaves
3oz (or more) unsalted butter

You’ll also need
10″-11″ ovenproof frying pan or cake tin (not too deep)

Heat the oven to 400F/, 200C /180C fan/gas 6.
Cook the potatoes in a large pan of well-slated, boiling water for 3 minutes or until almost cooked. Drain well and lay out on a few sheets of kitchen paper to steam dry.
When cool enough to handle, arrange the potato slices in handfuls in the pan, packing them in tightly and making sure they stand up straight.
Tuck the herbs in among the potatoes.
Melt the butter, then drizzle all over the potatoes.
Season, then cook in the oven for 1 hour or until crisp on top and cooked through.
Serve immediately.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad

Crispy Potato Salad with Chiles, Celery, and Peanuts

June 24, 2019July 23, 2019 Belinda

As the 4th July gets close, I’m thinking about interesting salads, in fact with the warmer weather and the fact that we are about to start a 6 month remodel, I’m definitely thinking salads with a difference!

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2 pounds baby fingerling potatoes, sliced crosswise ¾ inch thick
Kosher salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 red chiles (such as serrano or Holland), thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp finely grated peeled ginger
½ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced in half lengthwise, thinly sliced on a diagonal, plus ½ cup celery leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
½ cup torn mint leaves

Place the potatoes in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover; season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, 10–15 minutes. Drain; let cool.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook potatoes, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 8–10 minutes; season with salt.

Meanwhile, bring the chiles, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.

Toss the potatoes, warm vinegar mixture, and peanuts in a large bowl; let cool slightly. Add celery, celery leaves, cilantro, and mint and toss again to combine. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Do Ahead: Potatoes can be boiled 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Paprika-Seared Potato Wedges with Olive-Date Tapenade & Date Sour Cream

May 3, 2019 Belinda

Another great recipe from the food blog “The Original Dish”, author, Kayla Howey
I love the way she is so inventive with vegetables and highly recommend going on her blog and signing up.

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Serves 4
Date Sour Cream
8 oz pitted Medjool dates
1 cup cream sherry
8 oz sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Paprika-Seared Potatoes
2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed and wedged (about 4 large potatoes)
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ lemon

Olive-Date Tapenade
4 oz pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
5 oz black pitted olives, finely chopped
1/2 oz capers, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Combine the dates and cream sherry in a small saucepan. Bring the sherry to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the dates have absorbed most (but not all) of the sherry. Let the mixture cool.
In a food processor, blend the cooled date mixture until smooth. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 ounces of the date mixture with the sour cream, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, toss the potato wedges with the paprika, salt and pepper. Make sure each wedges is coated with paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling hot, add the potato wedges (you may need to work in batches; you don’t want to overcrowd the pan).
Lower the heat to medium and sear the potatoes until golden brown, a few minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking the potatoes, about 10 more minutes. Squeeze the lemon over the potatoes as soon as they come out of the oven.

Combine the dates, olives, capers, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix to incorporate.

To Serve
Spread the date sour cream on a plate. Place the potato wedges on the plate and spoon the olive-date tapenade over the top. Alternatively, serve the date sour cream in a bowl with the tapenade on top and potato wedges alongside.
notes

** To lighten this dish up, try Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. You also will have extra date puree. Save this to flavor other dishes or to make the sour cream again. You can freeze it if needed.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Melting and crispy roast potatoes

August 26, 2018 Belinda

Who doesn’t adore crispy roast potatoes with melting centers? The addition of stock and garlic elevates these to celestial heights.

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2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
3 tsp fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
½ to ¾ tsp ground black pepper
4 large smashed garlic cloves
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth

Heat the oven to 500F with the rack in the upper-middle position. The hot oven gives the potatoes their deep golden color and crispy exterior, so don’t cheat this part.
Peel the potatoes (Yukons are perfect for this, their insides become so lusciously smooth) and slice them into 1-inch thick rounds. This is likely thicker than you think, and it may feel unnatural, but we’re not going for crispy potato chips here. We want hefty, decadent slabs of potato.
Toss the rounds with the 4 tbsp melted butter, 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or rosemary) 1 tsp Kosher salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer to a 13 by 9 inch metal baking dish and arrange in a single layer.
(Don’t use a glass pan, which can burst under such high heat.)
Bake for 15 mins, flip the potatoes then bake 15 minutes more.
Remove the dish from the oven and add 1 cup stock/broth and the smashed garlic cloves.
Return to the oven until most of the stock is absorbed, about 15 minute more. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Holiday Food · Vegetable sides

Mashed sweet potatoes with banana and rum

November 19, 2017November 19, 2017 Belinda

Don’t be put off by the “baby-food” look of this dish. The flavor is FAR from baby food! It’s from the Silver Palate cook book and is a super addition to the Holiday table.

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8 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes
3 ripe bananas
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tbsp rum
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
salt to taste
1 cup sliced almonds

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Cook covered until very tender. Drain.

Cut the bananas into 1 inch pieces and puree in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the hot potatoes, 4 tbsp of the butter, the rum and the brown sugar.
Process until smooth. Add the grated nutmeg and salt to taste and process just to blend. Keep warm.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a small skillet. Add the almonds and sauté until lightly browned. Sprinkle wth a little salt.
Top each serving of the sweet potato with a generous amount of toasted almonds or scatter the whole dish with them.