Tag: potatoes

Hash

 

Breakfast hash

Hash

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Was out of town visiting friends for the weekend when the Canadian weather decided it was going to dump a surprise on us….. Freezing Rain. Now for those of you who are not familiar with this phenomenon it simply means that the rain freezes on the ground and turns everything into a skating rink thereby making travel of any kind rather treacherous but it also means that if you have not made it to the grocery store you could be limited to meal ideas and since hash is simply a base of potatoes and onions together with whatever else you want to add it is a quick and easy solution to breakfast or dinner.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 Yukon Gold potatoes – diced
  • 1 small Yellow Onion – diced
  • 1 small Yellow Pepper – diced
  • 1 small Red Pepper – Diced
  • 4 large Eggs
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
  • Fresh ground Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • Parsley for garnish

Putting it all together: 

  1. In a medium pot of water par boil the potatoes until just fork tender, about 10 mins. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a fry pan and add the onions and peppers and cook for 3 mins. Add the potatoes and mix well.
  3. Add in the seasonings and Worcestershire and cook for about 5 mins more turning it over once.
  4. Top with the over easy eggs, garnish with the parsley and enjoy.

Cooks note: There is an old line cooks trick for making over easy eggs. Once the eggs have been cracked in the pan or on the flat top cover them with a pot lid until cooked.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit 

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Spanish Pork Stew with Potatoes

Spanish Pork Stew With Potatoes

Spanish Pork Stew with Potatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Sometime ago I bought a half boneless Pork Loin and broke it down for various dinners. One of the things I did was to cube some of it, season it Spanish style and then vacuum seal for later use. Well today became “later use” and this is an awesome one pot dish that is sure to please everyone.

Here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 tbsp Canola Oil
  • 2 pounds Pork Loin – cubed.
  • 8 ounces Sweet Chorizo – cubed
  • 6 Yukon Gold Potatoes – peeled and cubed
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 1/3 cup Flour
  • 1 medium Red Onion – diced
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 Garlic Cloves – rough chopped
  • 1 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes – drained
  • 4 cups Chicken stock
  • 1 cup Sliced Pimento
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Granulated Onion
  • 1 tsp ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp ground Coriander
  • chopped Parsley for garnish – optional

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large non reactive bowl place the pork and mix in the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic and onion and mix well. Cover and refrigerate. overnight if possible, 30 mins minimum.
  2. Heat the oven to 350°.
  3. In a large dutch oven heat half the Canola Oil and brown half the pork removing to a separate bowl when done. Repeat with the other half of the pork.
  4. Pour 1/4 cup of the chicken stock into the dutch oven and scrape up the brown bits (Sucs). Add the onion and garlic and let cook for about 5 mins. Add the butter and when melted add the flour and mix well.
  5. Add in the remaining ingredients, mix well and bring to a boil.
  6. Turn off the heat, cover and put in the oven for 90 mins. Remove the Bay leaves.
  7. Ladle into bowls, garnish with Parsley and serve with crusty bread.
  8. Enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                          Bon Appetit 

 

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I’m all about “simple but tasty recipes for the grilling season and beyond.” yet I don’t hesitate to think outside the box and tackle something that may seem “gourmet” and  “difficult” to make. Things like Osso Bucco with three mushroom Risotto or Crab Cakes with a Garlic Aioli or even create something that I think may be relatively new like my recent Pad Thai Meatballs. 

With that in mind this particular recipe falls under the “simple but tasty…..” category because it is essentially a one pot dinner that is not only filling but flavorful in its simplicity and can be considered a budget friendly dish as well since it can feed a number of people for a relatively low price.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 3 pound Beef Pot Roast
  • 2 large Carrots – peeled and rough chopped
  • 1 large Yellow Onion – peeled and rough chopped
  • 2 Celery ribs – rough chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
  • 24 Baby potatoes
  • 1 20 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Red Wine
  • 3 cups Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • 1/4 cup  Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Black Peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons dried Rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons dried Thyme
  • 2 tablespoons Sea Salt
  • Cheesecloth
  • Butchers Twine

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Season the pot roast with salt and pepper and place in a large Dutch Oven.
  3. Arrange the vegetables around the roast and add all liquids.
  4. Using the cheesecloth make a Bouquet Garni with the dried herbs and tie with the butcher string. Place in the pot.
  5. Bring to a boil on the stove. Turn off the heat and place in the oven for 2  hours.
  6. Remove the roast to a cutting board to rest, the potatoes to a separate bowl and discard the bouquet garni.
  7. Pour the braising liquid and vegetables into a blender and blend until you have a smooth gravy. Pour the gravy into a small pot. For a rich gravy add a dollop of butter.
  8. Slice the roast, plate with the potatoes and pour on the gravy.
  9. Enjoy. 

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…..

                         Bon Appetit 

Crispy Top Cumberland Pie

Crispy top Cumberland Pie

Crispy Top Cumberland Pie

  • Servings: 5
  • Difficulty: Easy
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My grandson had decreed at some point that Tuesdays would be known as “Taco Tuesdays” as he loves his Tacos and ever since Old El Paso™ introduced Taco Bowls he loves them even more however for me (don’t get out the noose) having Tacos every week is a bit tiresome and boring so my lovely and brilliant wife suggested Tasty Tuesdays as an alternative. So in honour of her suggestion and as a nod to her country of birth, England, we are doing a Crispy Top Cumberland Pie.

Cooks note:  This is a great make ahead dish and will last for 2 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 2 pounds Stew Beef – cubed
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • 2 small Yellow Onions – chopped
  • 2 large Carrots – chunky sliced
  • 1 Leek, white part only – chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Canola oil
  • 5 Bay leaves
  • 2 Thyme sprigs
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 tablespoons All Purpose flour, Worcestershire, Tomato Puree
  • 2 tablespoons liquid Beef Base
  • 2 1/2 cups Beef broth
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 3/4 cup Shredded Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, Thyme and butter and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, followed by the purée, Worcestershire sauce and liquid beef base.
  3. Add the beef stock stirring well then add the stew beef. Bring to a boil, cover and put in the oven for 2 /12 hours.
  4. While the meat is braising cook your potatoes until they are about 3/4’s done and then add them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
  5. When the meat is fork tender transfer it to a baking dish. Slice the potatoes into 1 cm (.039 inches) rounds and place on the meat. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and the Shredded cheese and put back in the oven for about 20 mins or until the shredded cheese has melted and the gravy is bubbling.
  7. Enjoy

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit

Brunswick Stew

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Brunswick Stew

  • Servings: 12 -14
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Stews, soups and casseroles are all “yucky weather” type dishes because they warm you up from the inside out and allow you to thumb yer nose at the cold, wet and otherwise cruddy stuff going on outside the window.

I like the traditional soups and stews….. butternut squash, potato and leek soups  along with chicken and beef stews….. but I like to try different types of stews as well and so I decided to try this one which if we went traditional would mean using things like rabbit and squirrel and since I can’t use rabbit (I would be shot if I did) and I would never use “tree rat” (that’s squirrel kids) I opted for pork and chicken as the protein.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 pounds Pork shoulder – cubed
  • 2 pounds Chicken thighs – cubed
  • 3 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 1/2 cup of Butter
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 1 large White Onion – diced
  • 3 Garlic cloves – chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds Baby potatoes – quartered
  • 4 cups Chicken stock
  • 1 19 ounce can Diced tomatoes (liquid as well)
  • 3 cups frozen Corn kernels
  • 3 cups cut Green Beans
  • 3 teaspoons Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Mustard
  • 1 1/2 cups Smokey BBQ sauce
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or Stock pot and brown the pork and chicken removing to a large bowl when done.
  2. Melt the butter in the same pot and saute the onions and garlic for about five minutes. Add in the flour and whisk well.
  3. Pour in the Worcestershire, chicken stock, yellow mustard and BBQ sauce and stir well.
  4. Add back the meat and the remaining ingredients.
  5. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until the meat and potatoes are tender, about 50 minutes.
  6. Adjust the seasonings if needed
  7. Ladle into a bowl and serve with some crusty bread for sopping up the juice.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…..

                          Bon Appetit

Curried Mussel Chowder

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Curried Mussel Chowder

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
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You don’t become a chef to become famous.

Eric Ripert

I think every home cook has the daydream of hitting it big on T.V. as the host of their own cooking show and having millions of adoring fans just gobbling up any and all recipes they showcase and I admit that I fall squarely in this group however being the practical person that I am I know this will never happen so I will be content with cooking the best food that I can for my family and friends and posting the pics to my blog in the hopes that others will enjoy it as well.

Shopping list:

  • 1 1/2 pounds frozen precooked Mussel meat
  • 4 cups Vegetable stock
  • 2 cups Milk
  • 1/4 cup Butter
  • 1 cup diced Potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped Leeks – white and light green only
  • 3/4 each finely chopped Celery and Onion
  • 4 tablespoons Yellow Curry powder (see cooks note)
  • 1/4 all purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Corn Kernels
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro for garnish

Putting it all together:

  1. In a stock pot or Dutch oven melt the butter and saute the onions for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until blended. Cook the butter and flour for about 5 minutes but don’t let it brown.
  2. Pour in the vegetable stock and whisk until smooth. Add in the remaining ingredients except the Cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer (stirring occasionally) for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Pour the soup into four individual bowls, top with some cilantro and serve.

Cooks note: For a milder curry flavour substitute Garam Masala for the Yellow Curry powder.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……….

                          Bon Appetit

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

 

2017-03-30 18.06.00

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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“What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”
A.A. Milne

There are so many “time saver” side dishes on the market that if a body was in a rush to make dinner they would have an aneurysm figuring out which one they were going to use so this post is my attempt to show that a good side dish need not come out of a box with a massive amount of sodium but with a little bit of patience and the right equipment it can be done in no time at all.

The secret, in my opinion, to this dish is a good cheese sauce and a good cheese sauce begins with a good “Bechemel Sauce” and then is enhanced with a good cheese and don’t let the term Bechemel intimidate you because it is merely flour, butter and milk mixed until it is the consistency that you want. I used a Mexican 3 cheese blend because I just happened to have it in the pantry but feel free to use whatever you wish.

Here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes – thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup Butter
  • 1/2 Flour
  • 2 cups Half and Half
  • 1 cup Chicken stock
  • 3 cups Shredded Cheese
  • 1 medium Sweet Onion – diced
  • 3 Garlic cloves – chopped
  • 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon White Pepper
  • 1/4 cup Green Onion for garnish (optional)

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°
  2. In a large pot or dutch oven heat the butter until melted. Add the sweet onion, pepper, nutmeg and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking for about another 4 minutes being careful not to let it brown.
  3. Pour in the chicken stock and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add the half and half while continuing to whisk. Bring to a boil for three minutes then reduce the heat and add the shredded cheese a bit at a time whisking until smooth.
  4. In a 9 x 6 greased pan place a layer of potatoes and cover with cheese sauce. Alternate the process until all the potatoes and cheese sauce have been used. Top with Parmesan and green onion
  5. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……….

                          Bon Appetit

Epic Oops

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  • Servings: “5”
  • Difficulty: “easy”
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I, like many other cooks, love to take a recipe and twist it to make it my own especially if it is something I have not tried before. Now most times this works beautifully and the recipe gets filed away for future dinners or for use by others however every once in a while one of these recipes falls into the category of “Oh lord!! What have I done?” This one my dear friends falls squarely into that category but at the same time it also offers up the challenge of getting it right.

Now I have always said that I am my own worst critic when it comes to the food that arrives from my kitchen to your table and this is one of those times despite the fact that my dinner guests loved the flavour profile and the idea of the dish. My disappointment comes from the fact that instead of being presented like a seafood type Cottage Pie it resembled more of a seafood “Swamp Pie” with the mashed potatoes slowly sinking into the horizon which then got me to thinking (after I finished berating myself) — “just what on earth went wrong?”

After carefully going over what I did (hey this could lead to a new profession….. “Forensic Foodologist”….LOL) I came to the conclusion that it was simply a matter of the broth/sauce being too thin and the mashed potatoes not thick enough and thankfully this type of mistake is easy to correct the next time around.

Here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 pounds peeled and diced potatoes
  • 5 Alaskan Pollock fillets – cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 package 51-60 shrimp – cleaned, peeled and tail off
  • 1/4 cup White wine
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh Dill
  • 2 cups frozen Mixed vegetables
  • 1 tablespoon granulated Garlic
  • 3 1/2 cups Chicken stock
  • 1 cup quartered small Cremini mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup milk

Putting it all together:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 375
  2. Bring the potatoes to boil in a large pot of salted water
  3. When tender, about 15 minutes, mash with butter, milk and granulated garlic
  4. Melt the butter in a large stock pot and add the onions
  5. Cook the onions for about 3 minutes
  6. Add the flour to the butter and onions and mix until there are no lumps
  7. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and mix until you get the consistency you want
  8. Add the mushrooms and mixed vegetable and cook for about five minutes
  9. Add the fish and shrimp and cook until the fish is firm and the shrimp is pink, about 10 minutes
  10. Pour into individual ramekins or an oven proof casserole dish, top with the mashed potatoes and bake for 15 – 20 minutes

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time………..

                                 Bon Appetit

 

 

 

Lancashire hot pot

 

Sundays, before life got even more hectic than usual, used to be a day of fix breakfast for my wife and let her spend a few hours in front of the “tely”, that’s U.K. English for television, watching Coronation Street which for those not in the know is an English television series that has been on the air forever and appears to be not going anywhere soon. It was on this show that I first came across this recipe and I was thoroughly enthralled so much so that I went in search of the ultimate version. 

After searching the Internet and various cook books and talking to relatives in the U.K. I was soon to discover that in fact there IS NO definitive recipe. In fact the only thing the various and sundry recipes had in common was Lamb and Potatoes and even then the debate raged on about “which cut of lamb to use”, neck-leg-kidney,  or “what potatoes were the best”, white or Yukon gold, or even whether or not to use Lamb stock or Chicken stock.

Now I rarely make this recipe because I am supposed to avoid red meat (I have Hemochromatosis which is a fancy Doctor term for excess Iron stored in my liver)  so to me it does not make much difference which part of the Lamb to use  with the exception of the Kidney—- I’m not a big fan of Kidney— nor does it matter which potato although I am partial to Yukon Gold . All that matters to me is that the dish comes out flavorful and satisfying.

So I now present to you my take on Lancashire Hot Pot which by the way is the one my late Father-In-Law just loved and being that he was from Manchester England I take it as a very big compliment.

Ingredients:

Approximately two pounds of lamb- cubed

Two and a half pounds of potatoes sliced like you were making Scalloped Potatoes

One large white onion- diced

1/4 cup all purpose flour— more or less ( I like a nice thick sauce )

2 Carrots- thinly sliced

Healthy dash of Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Three finely chopped garlic cloves

Two cups chicken stock

Three tablespoons butter

Two tablespoons Canola Oil

Tin foil (or for you Brits—- Aluminum foil lol)

Putting it all together:

Heat the Canola oil in a large skillet and saute the onions until translucent – about two minutes

Remove the onions from the heat and set aside

Add the Lamb, butter, Worcestershire and garlic to the skillet and fry, in batches if necessary, until it is medium rare (Lamb is the best when served Medium)

Remove the Lamb from the heat and set aside

To the liquid in the skillet add the flour and make a Roux

Add enough Chicken stock to get the Roux to the consistency you want

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

In a large greased casserole dish spread a layer of potatoes followed by carrots and the Lamb mixture

Repeat until all the ingredients are finished

Pour the Roux over the contents of the casserole and give it a bit of a shake to distribute the Roux throughout the casserole

“Bung” (another Brit term—- thanks Jamie Oliver) it in the oven for approximately an hour and a half

Dish it out, tuck in, and be in heaven………….

So there you have it……. another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time…………..

                                                           Bon Appetit 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ultimate mashed potatoes

Loaded_Potatoes

These days everyone is looking for an edge in order to make life simpler and easier whether it’s buying or selling a house, a faster and easier way to cut the lawn or how not to get caught cheating on your Income Tax….. okay that last one is a throw away ’cause we all know no one ever cheats on their Income Tax (wink wink nudge nudge).

Well Chefs/cooks are no different especially when the economy gives the general public more disposable income so they can afford to go out to eat more often. When I was working as a prep cook last year I learned this particular recipe and I have decide I am going to add it to my arsenal of side dishes that can be made quickly and still taste awesome AND can be made ahead and frozen for future dinners.

Ingredients:

One 2 pound bag of pre-made mashed potatoes or about 8 medium sized Yukon Gold- peeled and diced (dicing them helps them to cook faster)

One package of softened plain Cream Cheese

One package Lobster Flavored Pollock (I use this because I don’t like Lobster but somehow I like this—- Go figure)

3 to 4 ounces of Chives

2 teaspoons chopped Garlic

Method:

In a large Stainless Steel bowl mix all ingredients until well incorporated and smooth.

Place in a large re-seal able bag and lay flat in the freezer. Laying it flat will take up less space.

If you are using the potatoes right away there is no harm no foul in heating them in the microwave and then adding them to whatever dish you have made.

 

So there you have it another “simple but tasty dish for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time…………….

                                                    Bon Apettite