Meat and Potatoes - Pommes de Terre a la Boulangere

Do you ever have the hankerin' for the delectably meaty flavored potatoes that usually accompany a Yankee Pot Roast?  Yeah, I like 'em a lot.  I don't always have 4 lbs of roast lying around though.  Wait, I NEVER have a 4 lb roast lying around, because it would take me a 2 weeks to eat that much beef.  But I really love the potatoes that have been cooked with the roasted meat juices.   HEAVENLY!

Luckily, I have a solution... or rather, the French have a solution. (and no, they didn't steal the idea from the Italians either.  At least, I don't think they did)  ;)

Pommes de Terre a la Boulangere (bool-ahn-ZHAIR) or Potatoes from the Bakery

I like to think that it was inspired by the roast.  You see, "back in the day" people didn't have an oven in their house.  Even if you DID have an oven, something like a roast (cooked low and slow) simply used too much wood fuel to make at home.  That is, unless your home doubled as the town sauna.  So, the villagers turned to the town baker and his/her huge oven.  All the women of the village would prep their roasts by laying them on beds of potatoes and onions.  When the town baker was done baking his bread for the day, the roasts were placed in the large oven as it was cooling.  While the roast was hangin' out and soaking up the lowering heat of the baker's oven, the potatoes were busy soaking up all the luscious beef drippings.   Thus the basic concept of "Potatoes from the Bakery" was born.

So how do you make beefy roasty toasty potatoes without roasting a roast?  All you really need is some beef stock, caramelized onions and an oven. I think it's pretty safe to say that we all have ovens in our homes and no one is going to have to make a trip to the local bakery.  One other thing you are going to need is time.  It takes time to caramelize onions and it takes time to bake potatoes this way...  At least an hour, usually a little longer.  But I think it's well worth the effort.

Pomme de Terre a la Boulangere 

1 rasher (slice) of Bacon, julienne
2 TB Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, sliced thin (I prefer Sweet onions for this)
1 large Shallot, sliced
1 Star Anise
2 lbs White Potatoes, sliced thin (Cause the skins are tender and I prefer not to peel)
Thyme (or Herbs de Provence)
Black Pepper
Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
2 TB Butter for dotting

Heat Olive oil in a saute pan over medium flame, then add the bacon and saute until the fat renders out and the bacon is crisp.

Move the now crispy bacon to a paper towel to drain.

Place the saute pan back on the flame and add the Onion and Shallots.

Saute until tender, then reduce the flame to low and add the Star anise. (it makes the onions more meaty tasting)

Continue cooking the onions down until they are deep brown in color and almost jammy looking.
(this tends to take at least 15-20 minutes, so go ahead and eat the bacon bits to keep up your strength)
Remove the pan from the heat and remove the Star Anise.

Add several branches worth of Thyme Leaves and allow the onions to cool slightly while you.....

Butter a baking dish, set it aside and begin preheating the oven to 350 F (175 C) Degrees.

Slice the potatoes (or use a mandolin).

Set aside some of the "prettiest" slices for the top layer (about 8 oz of them)

Place 1/2 of the remaining potatoes in the baking dish and level them out. (you don't have to do any fancy overlapping yet)

Spread 1/2 of the caramelized onion/shallot mixture over the top.

Sprinkle with Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.

Scatter the other 1/2 of the potatoes over the top. (again, no fancy overlapping, yet)

Spread the potatoes with the remaining caramelized onions and more Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

NOW you get to do the fancy overlapping with the reserved potato slices.

Season with Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.

Then, since I don't think there is any such thing as "too much thyme" when it comes to potatoes, add some more thyme leaves.

Carefully pour the Beef stock over the potatoes.

You see the stock peeking out from underneath the potatoes around the edges.

Dot with Butter. (I love "dotting" things with butter)

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake an additional 30-45 minutes.

Until golden brown and delicious.

Crispy on top, soft and unctuous umami-ness underneath. 

Mangia!!
~~

Cauliflower Power - Cauliflower & Chestnut au Gratin with Asiago Cream

I don't know 'bout you, but I really love cauliflower.  Especially when it is covered in cheese sauce (mornay).  And nothin' says cheesy mornay lovin' with complete conviction the way an "au Gratin" can.  This is one of my most favorite au Gratins, followed very closely by Pommes de Terre au Dauphinois.  Who can possibly say "No" to Cauliflower and Chestnuts baked in a thyme laced Asiago Cream sauce.  It's utter decadence.  Which is why I only make it once a year.  And Thanksgiving is the perfect Holiday to bust this one out.

I believe I originally got this recipe from the Hastings. Then again I have read so many recipes over the years, it could truly be anyone...  LOL   I know it originally called for 3/4 lb Purple Cauliflower and 1 lb of White Cauliflower.  Me? I prefer to use the 3/4 lb of the Orange Cauliflower instead, but could not find any this year. I also like to change out the Parmigiano-Reggiano for Asiago, though it is quite tasty with Gruyere as well.

I apologize for the final pictures looking kind of messy, but it was Thanksgiving.  In this family, no one is really willing to take a chance that the food might get cold in order for someone to take a picture of it... LOL

Cauliflower and Chestnut au Gratin

1 3/4 lb (795 g) Cauliflower florets, cut into bite sized pieces (or 1 lb White and 3/4 lb Orange)
12 Roasted Chestnuts, chopped
4 cups (945 ml) Heavy Cream (yeah, you know it's gonna be good)
2.6 oz (75 g) (3/4 cup) Asiago d'allevo, freshly grated (and now it's better than good)
1/2 tsp Thyme, chopped
8 oz (225 g) fresh French baguette, torn into 2-inch pieces
2 TB Thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
3 TB Chives, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
1 clove Garlic, finely minced
~1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
~3/4 tsp Black Pepper
4 oz (113 g) (1/2 cup) (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, melted (and this makes it awesome)
~1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
~1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Disassemble the cauliflower head into bite sized pieces...

For reference, that is about this big....

In a medium stockpot, combine Cauliflower, Chestnuts, and Heavy Cream.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce heat to low and simmer until Cauliflower is tender. (about 10 to 12 minutes)

Remove cauliflower and chestnuts from cream with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Add shredded Asiago and Thyme to the Cream and bring to a boil over medium flame.

Reduce heat to low and Simmer until cream sauce reduces by half and thickens slightly. (about 15-20 minutes)

Meanwhile, it's time to make the bread crumb topping......

Tear the baguette into 2 inch pieces.

Place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until breadcrumbs are formed.

Transfer crumbs to a large bowl, then add Thyme, Parsley, Chives, Lemon Zest, Garlic, Salt, and Pepper;

Mix with hands until well combined.

Drizzle with melted Butter and toss with a fork until the crumbs and herbs are evenly coated; set aside.

When the sauce is ready.....
Return cauliflower to Parmigiano-Reggiano Cream mixture and stir to coat well, then season with Salt and Pepper.

Spoon Cauliflower mixture evenly into a 9 x 13 baking.

Top with the Breadcrumb mixture.

Move the baking dish to the oven and bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling. (about 4 to 5 minutes)

Serve warm. (Trust me, it doesn't really have a chance to get cold)

Mangia!!
~~

Dining in Dauphiné Style - Gratin de Pommes de Terre à la Dauphinoise

It has been a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time since I have made a good Potato au Gratin. As a matter of fact, aside from the Fennel Gratinata I made several weeks ago, I have not Gratinéed anything in almost two years. So it has been a long time in coming.

Part of the reason I don't make au Gratin dishes very often is that, though they are delicious, they are almost always terribly high in excess fat calories. Much more so than the dishes I normally cook. Granted, there is nothing more luxurious than victuals smothered in Heavy Cream and topped off with cultured butter and/or cheese, but I have been trying to respect my arteries a little more in the last few years. ;)

That, of course, does not mean that I cannot indulge my longings for such a decadent dish as a treat for good behavior, right? So this evening was a foray into the enticing world of Gratin de Pommes de Terre à la Dauphinoise. What's that you ask? A simple yet elegant gratiné of potatoes in Heavy Cream, Nutmeg, Garlic and White Pepper. Nope, NO Cheese... Not even Gruyere.

There seems to be a nomenclature issue in the United States, "au Gratin" simply means "Top Crust" which can be achieved by anything from Heavy Cream to Bread Crumbs or Cheese. Somehow, in the U.S., au Gratin has come to mean "Baked with Cheese on top" . Trust me, you can make a heavenly yet sinful Gratiné without any cheese whatsoever.

Come... Let me bring you over to the dark side... Muah ha ha ha!

Pommes de Terre au Gratin Dauphinois

1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
2 lbs Russet Potatoes (although I have heard that Yukon's work well also)
3 TB European Butter; Divided (Yeah, your gonna want the GOOD stuff for this one)
2 Cloves of Garlic; divided
Kosher Salt or Fleur de Sel
White Pepper; finely ground
Freshly grated Nutmeg
optional - an additional 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (this will depend on your dish size)

First, you need to place 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream in a Large bowl.

Peel (DO NOT rinse) and slice the Potatoes into 1/8 inch slices (this is important for them to cook properly, and you are better off doing it by hand because most mandolins and food processors cut to either 1/16th or 1/4 inch thickness)

As you finish with each potato, toss the slices into the bowl of Heavy Cream and toss to coat. (this will prevent them from browning and allow the starch from the cut sides to move into the cream)

When you are finished slicing the potatoes, begin preheating the oven to 325 degrees and grab an au Gratin pan or a baking dish (make sure that it is deep enough, you only want the potato layers to reach the 3/4 mark, this leaves room for the cream to bubble a little without making a mess)

Cut 1 of the cloves of garlic in 1/2 and rub the inside of the pan.

Rub the pan down with 1 TB of the Cultures Butter.

Mince the remaining 1 1/2 cloves and sprinkle into the bottom of the pan.

Toss the Potato slices 1 more time to ensure they are well coated before layering.

Begin layering in a circle around the edge of the pan, slightly overlapping the previous potato slice. Once the outer ring is complete, simply fill in the middle with more overlapped slices.

Sprinkle the layer with Kosher Salt, White Pepper and freshly grated Nutmeg.

Repeat the last 2 steps, two more times, but layer the potato slices in the opposite direction giving you 3 layers of potatoes. (No more than 3 layers or it will take them way too long to cook)

Carefully pour the starchy cream from the bowl over the potatoes.

The level may not be quite high enough to just barely cover the potatoes, so you may have to add another 1/2 cup of heavy cream (I usually have to)

Dot the top layer with 2 TB Cultured Butter.

Bake for at least 1 hour, then check to see if the potatoes are tender, using a knife; If not bake for an additional 15-30 minutes (Low and slow is the key to keeping the resulting cream sauce from separating)

Serve with ....

Well, I guess it really doesn't matter what you serve them with, cause they are just plain awesome with everything!

Mangia!!
~~