Posts tagged potatoes

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

February 28, 2010 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Spring, Winter · Tagged , ,

Posted by Lisa

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

I love beets.  I love potatoes.  And I love dill.  Why did it take me so long to put the three together?  Beets and potatoes are both root vegetables, so it seems like a logical combination, but apparently not a common one.

I think dill weed is an under-appreciated herb.  Sure, fresh dill heads or dill seeds are well-known since they are in dill pickles, but I’m talking dill weed.  Fresh is obviously a much better choice than dried, but there’s no local, fresh dill to be found this time of year, so dried works well, too.  Dill weed has a fresh, light, grassy flavor with almost lemony notes.

The combination of the beets and potatoes was a really lovely contrast.  The beets are sweet and slippery, while the potatoes are soft and starchy.  Combined with the fresh, subtle flavor of dill, this dish was a real hit.  As with most roasted vegetable dishes, it’s a snap to prepare, but requires at least an hour of baking.

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

printable recipe

  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes*, cut into 1/2″ cubes (use whatever variety you have on hand)
  • 1 1/2 pounds beets*, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 2 teaspoons fresh dill weed)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • several grinds of pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Preheat oven to 400°.

Gently combine first five ingredients and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a baking dish.  A 9″ x 13″ baking dish or 12-14″ cast iron skillet will both work well.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until tender.  After you remove from the oven, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix gently.  Serve warm.

*I don’t generally peel most root vegetables unless they have very blemished/bruised areas, but this is a personal preference.  Feel free to peel the potatoes and beets if you like.

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Potato, Leek and Dandelion Greens Soup

January 24, 2010 · Filed under Main Dish, Seasons, Spring, Winter · Tagged , , ,

Posted by Lisa

Potato, Leek and Dandelion Soup

This soup is basically a variation of my old stand-by, Potato Leek Soup.  This soup warrants its own post because of the addition of dandelion greens and extra alliums, in the form of garlic and onions.  This soup is so earthy and humble, with just a small touch of decadence, courtesy of the cream.

Dandelion greens are familiar to most people as invasive weeds, but their culinary popularity is increasing.  You can now find them at many farmers markets, or you could harvest them from your own yard in the early spring, before they flower or in the late fall after a frost, when they aren’t so bitter (provided you haven’t used chemicals in your yard).  Dandelion greens are wonderfully nutritious, with high levels of Vitamin K and A and respectable levels of Vitamin C, calcium and iron.

They are more nutritious when eaten raw, however many Americans would probably find their bitter taste slightly disagreeable the first couple of tries.  Cooking them mellows their bitterness significantly.

Potato Leek and Dandelion Greens Soup

printable recipe

  • several tablespoons of cooking fat
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 pounds potatoes, 1/2″ dice (I leave the peel on mine, but you can peel yours if you prefer; you can also use any variety of potatoes you have on hand)
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
  • 1 quart of stock (vegetable or chicken)
  • 1 bunch of dandelion greens (approximately 8 cups chopped); chop stems roughly and keep them separate from the greens which should also be chopped roughly
  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream

Heat cooking fat in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes.  Add leeks and cook until all vegetables are tender, about five more minutes; the leeks should still be bright green at this point.  Add potatoes, sea salt, pepper and mustard.  Stir to combine and then add stock.  You may need a little more than 1 quart.  It should cover the potatoes mixture by 1/2″ inch.  Bring the soup to a simmer and add the chopped dandelion stems.  Simmer until potatoes are tender.  When potatoes are tender, add the dandelion greens and cook just until they have wilted.  Remove pot from heat and stir in cream.  Check seasonings and adjust if necessary.

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Beef Heart and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Butternut Squash Topping

January 20, 2010 · Filed under Main Dish, Seasons, Winter · Tagged , , , ,

Posted by Lisa

Beef Heart and Lentil Shepherd's Pie with Butternut Squash Topping

Pot pie, shepherd’s pies, casseroles…they are all comfort foods.  These rainy and gray days of winter, where fresh produce is less abundant, but pantry and freezer shelves are not yet bare, is the perfect time to prepare comfort food using pantry or freezer staples.

The topping is a slightly sweet mixture of a small butternut squash and a few Yukon gold potatoes and the filling is a hearty mixture of vegetables, beef heart and lentils.  Four out of five in my family thought this was really delicious.  (It’s incredibly hard to get a 5 for 5.)

Beef heart is a not a commonly eaten meat, in my experience and you could certainly substitute ground beef in its place, but beef heart is very tasty, low in fat and high in protein, vitamin B12 and relatively high in iron.  When we purchase a side of meat from our farmer, we typically get several beef hearts because few people want to take them.  I frequently use 1/4 of a heart at a time and grind it up and add it to a ground beef dish, but this time I used 1/2 a heart along with lentils, which have a nice meaty feel.

Beef Heart and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Butternut Squash Topping

printable recipe

for the topping

  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 3 large potatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes (I used Yukon golds)
  • 2-3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

for the filling

  • 2 tablespoons cooking fat of your choice
  • 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • 1/2 beef heart, ground or minced (you could substitute 3/4 lb ground beef)
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups stock (beef or vegetable)
  • 1/2 cup lentils
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Place potatoes and butternut squash into a pot and cover with water.  Sprinkle a tablespoon or so of salt in the water and bring to a simmer.  Simmer until they  are tender.   While these are cooking, start on filling.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a heavy bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat fat over medium-high heat.  Add leeks and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add beef heart and cook until heart is browned.  Add carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes.  Add salt, pepper, thyme and flour cook for a minute or two stirring constantly.  Add stock and lentils.  Bring to a simmer.  Simmer on low heat until lentils and vegetables are tender.  Add frozen peas and stir. The sauce should be saucy, but not too runny; if it’s too dry, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time.  When lentils and vegetables are tender and the sauce is the consistency that you like, remove from heat.

When potatoes and butternut squash are tender, drain and return to pot.  Mash with butter, salt and pepper to taste and cream.  Set aside.

Pour the beef heart and lentil mixture into a 13″ x 9″ pan.  Spread mashed potato and butternut squash mixture evenly over the top.  Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top, if you are using.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is starting to turn golden and filling is bubbly.  Serve warm.

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Potato Leek Soup

November 13, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish · Tagged , ,

Posted by Lisa

Beautiful Leeks

I can’t believe that I haven’t posted my potato leek soup recipe.  It is really a very simple soup.  With only a few ingredients, you should use the best that you can find for superb taste.  I’ve used both stock and water as the liquid and stock adds a richer flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand, water will work just fine.  We are not fans of pureed soups, but if you are, feel free to run your immersion blender through the soup at the end of the cooking time.   This soup is both earthy and creamy and it’s one of our favorites.

Potato Leek Soup

printable recipe

  • a few tablespoons of butter
  • 3 medium leeks, sliced into rounds or half-moon slices
  • 2 – 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, cubed
  • stock or water to cover the potatoes and leeks (approximately 6-8 cups)
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • a couple splashes cream or half and half

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot.  Add leeks and sauté until they are tender.  Try not to let them brown by stirring frequently.  When leeks are tender, add potatoes, then add enough stock or broth to cover the potatoes and leeks by about an extra 1/2″ or so.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender.  When potatoes are tender remove from heat and add a couple of splashes of cream*.   I probably add 3-4 tablespoons.  Grind a few grinds of pepper into the pot and then check and adjust seasonings.    If you like a chunky soup, serve as it is, if you like a pureed soup, use an immersion blender to puree it before serving.

*I always turn the heat off before adding the cream, because the cream helps bring the temperature closer to serving temperature, but also because you don’t want to boil a soup after the cream has been added or it will curdle.

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Herb Potato Salad

June 3, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Spring, Summer · Tagged , ,

Posted by Lisa
Herb Potato Salad

Herb Potato Salad

I’ve been making Ina Garten’s Herb Potato Salad for a couple of years now.  It has become our favorite potato salad.  I still enjoy a mayonnaise based salad every now and then, but this herb potato salad is our go-to recipe.  I’d never used tarragon in a salad before, but it’s flavor pairs well with the potatoes.  I’ve taken this to many potlucks and always gotten raves and requests for the recipe.

There are several changes that I routinely make to the original recipe.  I almost never use small white boiling potatoes as is originally listed.  I’ve used Yukon golds, russets, red and purple potatoes at various times.  The russets are okay in a pinch, but rather starchy; the purples are also too starchy.  Yukon golds and red potatoes make excellent substitutes for the white.  The recipe calls for chicken stock and white wine.  I’ve made the dressing using water in place of both items when I’ve discovered I had neither.  It turns out very fine, the flavors are just a little less complex.  I’ve also substituted komubucha for the white wine, which sounds very strange, but oddly didn’t taste strange at all.

Herb Potato Salad

from The Food Network by Ina Garten

* 3 pounds small white boiling potatoes
* sea salt
* 2 tablespoons good dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2/3 cup good olive oil
* 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot off the heat and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Leave the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but firm.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the onion, tarragon and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Radish Top, Potato & Sunchoke Soup

May 28, 2009 · Filed under Main Dish, Spring · Tagged , , ,

Posted by Lisa
Radish Top, Potato & Sunchoke Soup

Radish Top, Potato & Sunchoke Soup

The Victory Garden Cookbook is a wonderful resource for how to prepare a variety of vegetables.  I like it because it is organized by vegetable, in alphabetical order and each vegetable’s section starts with a history and informational segment on the vegetable followed by how to prepare it and then  some actual recipes (most with some possible variations)  at the latter part of the section.  This book was recommended by a friend and one of the recipes that she specifically recommended was Radish Top Soup.  It is a creamy potato based soup and since I  had some radish tops and some leftover potatoes and sunchokes from previous weeks’ shares hanging out in my refrigerator, I decided to alter the recipe to accomodate what I had on hand.  The resulting soup was very tasty.  The radish tops are very mild and they add pretty green specks to the creamy soup.  My family liked the contrast between the starchy flavor of the potatoes and the sweeter flavor of the sunchokes.  It was a hit and the whole pot was finished in one meal.  I served it with some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches to round out the meal.

Radish Top, Potato & Sunchoke Soup

adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 5 cups assortment of potatoes and/or sunchokes, chopped in 1/2″ pieces
  • tops from one bunch of radishes, roughly chopped
  • 6-7 cups of liquid (water or stock), enough to cover vegetables
  • sea salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
  • freshly ground pepper

Melt butter in a soup pot.  Add onions and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chopped potatoes and sunchokes.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add chopped radish tops and cook until wilted.  Pour water or stock in to cover the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper.  Simmer until potatoes and sunchokes are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in cream or half and half and adjust seasonings.  Serve hot.

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Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes

April 26, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Spring, Winter · Tagged , , ,

Posted by Lisa
Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes

Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes

Or more accurately Indian Spiced Potatoes with a Bit of Cauliflower.  We had a tiny cauliflower in our CSA share that had to be paired something else to make a dish large enough for a family.  I think that cauliflower and potatoes go together especially well, so when I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen I had to add it to the menu.  There are a variety of flavors and textures in this dish which makes it interesting and delicious.  The potatoes are crusty on the outside, but creamy on the inside; the caramelized onions and garlic are sweet and meltingly tender.  The jalapeño gives it just a small bite of heat and the combination of Indian spices makes it go pop.

Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes

adapted from Gourmet, 2004 by way of Smitten Kitchen

  • 1 1/2 c. cauliflower florets  (if you have more cauliflower, throw it in; this is all I had)
  • 1 1/2 lb German butterball potatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 5 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • sea salt
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, not including seeds (feel free to include them if you want more heat)
  • 2 teaspoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 475°F.  Toss cauliflower, potatoes, 3 tablespoons oil (I used olive oil), 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon sea salt.  Place on baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally until cauliflower and potatoes are tender and just starting to brown, about 20 minutes.

While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil (I used coconut oil) in a 12″ cast iron skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and golden, about 10 minutes.  Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.  Stir in water, scraping up and browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and then stir in roasted vegetables.  Cook, covered, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

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Creamy Sunchoke Soup

April 5, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish, Spring, Winter · Tagged , , ,

Posted by Lisa
Creamy Sunchoke Soup

Creamy Sunchoke Soup

This soup is similar to potato leek soup, which is one of our favorites, but with the addition of sunchokes it has an earthier flavor.    I adapted this recipe from Sunchoke Bisque with Hazelnut Oil in Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors:  Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets.  The original recipe calls for puréeing the soup (we are not fans of puréed soup here) and using hazelnut oil (which I didn’t have on hand); those are major changes I made.

Creamy Sunchoke Soup

  • 1 small onion
  • 1 pound red potatoes
  • 1 pound sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 2 tablespoons of your preferred cooking fat (I used olive oil)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6-8 cups chicken stock, or enough to fill your pot one inch above your vegetables  (you can substitute vegetable stock or water)
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • cream for thinning

Wash and chop vegetables into 1/2 inch chunks.

Heat the oil in your pot and add vegetables.  Sauté over high heat, stirring frequently until light brown.  Add the garlic about halfway through the cooking time.

When vegetables are browned, pour in stock to completely cover your vegetables by one inch.  Add two teaspoons salt, freshly ground pepper and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until the sunchokes are tender.  Check the seasonings and adjust, if necessary.

Remove soup from heat and add cream to thin to your desired consistency.

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Colcannon

March 26, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Spring, Winter · Tagged , ,

Posted by Lisa

Colcannon is an Irish dish that is perfect to make autumn through early spring because it’s main ingredients are potatoes and cabbage.  As a side dish, it’s very hearty.  If you don’t have any cabbage, you can substitute kale.

Colcannon

Colcannon

Colcannon

Adapted from Allrecipes

  • 1 pound cabbage, chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into large cubes
  • 2 leeks or 4 green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup milk
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large pot of salted water, boil potatoes as you would when making mashed potatoes.  When they are nearly tender, add cabbage to pot.  Meanwhile, place chopped leeks or green onions in a small pot and cover with milk.  Heat until leeks or onions are softened, then remove from heat.  When potatoes and cabbage are tender, drain very well.

Mash potatoes and cabbage, stir in leeks and milk and season to taste.

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Pork and Vegetable Stew

March 3, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish, Winter · Tagged , , , , , ,

posted by Lisa

In our freezer, we have some delicious, natural and pastured raised pork, grown by my good friend and fellow blog contributor, Sheila.  We don’t have very much of it, so I’ve been cooking it sparingly, so as to extend the time we can enjoy it’s deliciousness.  As I previously mentioned, we didn’t have any vegetables from our CSA last week, so along with the pork I combined winter staples of potato and carrot with frozen vegetables (grown and packaged in the NW) to create a simple, hearty and stick-to-your-ribs stew.

Pork and Vegetable Stew

Pork and Vegetable Stew

Pork and Vegetable Stew

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 lb pork, cut into bite sized cubes (I used pork steak)
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce (preferably home canned)
  • 1 quart filtered water
  • 2 carrot, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 4 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 2 cups of frozen corn
  • 1 cup of frozen peas

Brown onions and pork in a little olive or coconut oil of your pork is very lean, like mine was.  When the pork is browned, add salt, flour and pepper and cook for a minute or two.  Add tomato sauce, water, carrots and potatoes.  Bring to a simmer.  Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender.  Adjust seasonings to your taste and add frozen corn and peas.  Cook until corn and peas are heated through.

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