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Category Archives: Side Dish
Gratins are my fall back on side-dish when I don’t have anything else to serve with roasted meat. I always have a few potatoes, as well as sweet potatoes in the pantry, just in case, I need something to eat for lunch, or a thicker for a soup or stew or a weekend hash. A few other staples in our kitchen are good butter, heavy cream and rosemary. Guarantee you will always find these three items lurking somewhere.
I have to admit I am a potato kind of girl, and if I could eat them every day, I would. I grew up eating them, and I will die eating them. One of my favorite food-related childhood memories is potato gratin. Steaming hot, bubbly with richness, and slightly mashed potatoes. God, I loved it!
Normally I made gratins with a rich bechamel; which is another favorite of mine. This take on a classic recipe, is a bit healthier, or at least that is what I am telling myself. Instead of making a dreamy bechamel, I literally poured the heavy cream over the layered sweet potatoes, and then sprinkled a little white cheddar over the top. It still came out steaming hot and bubbly; just a little healthier this time.
HAVE YOU ENTERED OUR GIVEAWAY? IT IS DELICIOUS!
Recipe: Sweet Potato Gratin
- 1 sweet potato, peeled
- 1 medium russet, peeled
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, crushed between finger tips
- 1/2 pint heavy cream
- 1/4 cup white cheddar, grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat the oven to 325. Using a pastry brush, coat a shallow baking dish with the olive oil. Slice the sweet potato and potato very thin; I use a mandoline. Layer the potatoes in the baking dish, I like to alternate, to make it pretty. Sprinkle the rosemary over the top. Pour the cream, evenly over the top, and then sprinkle with the cheese. Put into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve. Eat. * season with salt and pepper to taste, after cooking. Some cheddars are salty so I did not season before baking.
Other gratins that we eat at home:
WOW! Thanksgiving is lurking around the corner, and I am not even close to being ready. In fact, this morning as I was laying in bed, thinking about the next month, I pondered on where did the time go?! I know! I know! For the past 4 years you have listened to me bitch about how I am not ready for the holidays. Well, guess what; I am beyond being ready this year.
It seems time flew by the past couple months with buying the house, moving, going to Austin (I still have so much to share about that), and some last minute projects that fell on the table, have left us literally in a blur. We keep talking about how we have not even had a chance to enjoy the new house. To put up blinds, or smear some paint on the walls. To set-up the studio space. To buy that dining room table, and bring our loved ones around it. We have hopes, and dreams about the holidays in our house, and they are all centered around giving and sharing. Just hoping we get a chance to do so this year …..
I did manage to work on a couple recipes that I want to serve over Thanksgiving. I am getting away easy this year as all I have to make is a traditional Basque dish that involves clams, and lots of them, and this side dish made with the token Thanksgiving veggie, the brussel sprout. I have a love hate relationship with brussel sprouts, and I am sure it has to do with being force feed them as a kid. The other evening I ordered a pork dish, mainly because it was served with a brussel sprout gratin, that completely intrigued me. It was amazing, and I knew I had to recreate it once we got home.
 
It is easy, and requires only a few ingredients, such as the sprouts, some shallots, a little bacon, cream and Parmesan cheese. See, I told you it would be easy. I love the dish as the sprouts are flash cooked to retain their gorgeous color, and crisp bite. The addition of salty bacon, and nutty Parmesan makes them even more delicious. So, what are you waiting for? You have time … run out and grab the ingredients, and then thank me later!
If you don’t like to cook or you don’t have the time, check out Wholefoods; they are still accepting orders for an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. We had a chance to sample one a couple weeks ago, and it was fresh, flavorful, and very seasonal.
We wish you and your loved ones the warmest Thanksgiving; be safe, and do eat that extra serving of turkey!
Recipe: Brussel Sprout Gratin
- 2 pounds brussel sprouts, cut in half
- 6 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- kosher salt, to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Heat oven to 350, and butter a baking dish. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. While the water is boiling, cook the bacon over low heat, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon from the pan of drippings, and set aside on a paper towel. Drain off all of the bacon drippings except for 1 tablespoon. Add the shallot, and cook over low heat, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Once the water is boiling, add the brussel sprouts, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain into a colander, and immediately cool down with very cold water. Set aside and let drain. Pour the cream over the cooled shallot mixture. Pat the brussel sprouts dry with paper towels. In a large mixing bowl, add the sprouts, shallot/bacon mixture, and the cheese. Stir. Pour into the buttered dish. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly, and lightly brown on top. Serve. Eat.
I wish I had time to make all of these delicious dishes this Thanksgiving, but I don’t. Maybe you have the time?
Labor Day is really the last weekend of summer. Kids are back in school. Vacations are over. Time to start settling in for a long winter. For most of us it is the last weekend of grilling. I know we will be getting in our fair share of charred meat and icy cold bevies this weekend.
I was thinking of sharing a new favorite cocktail with everyone this weekend; but, then I thought again, back to this recipe. I want you ALL to make this dish for the long weekend. Full of beans, salty pork, spicy Chipotle, ripe peaches and sultry rye. This baked bean recipe has depth; not over sugary or salty, just full of flavor. Don’t be afraid of the peaches in the BBQ Sauce, it is not fruity at all, it was used more as a natural sugar. Trust us, you will love it.
Have a great weekend & be safe!
Do you have a favorite Baked Bean recipe? If so, what do you consider to be the secret ingredient?
Recipe: Baked Beans
In a large stock pot cover the beans with cold water. Set aside to soak for 24 hours. After 24 hours, drain the beans. Put back into dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cook until the beans are tender; about 4 – 5 hours. Drain, reserving about a cup of liquid. In the same dutch oven, add the diced salt pork and minced onion, over low heat cook until the onion is soft; about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, to distribute the goodness. Add the BBQ sauce, stir, cover with a lid and bake in a 325 oven for 4 hours. Stir occasionally. Season with salt to taste. Serve. Eat.
If you like this recipe, check these out:
Baked Beans
Beer Baked White Beans
Carrots are a great vegetable, crunchy, refreshing, and full of vitamins. Why would anyone boil it to death, unless, you are going to mash it. We love to toss whole carrots with a little olive oil, and slip it into the oven until caramelized. Perfect served alongside a nice roast or winter stew.
Recipe: Roasted Carrots
What you need:
- 1 bunch of carrots
- olive oil
- sea salt
What you need to do:
Heat oven to 425. On a baking sheet, covered with foil, lay the carrots. Drizzle, lightly, with olive oil. Gently rub in the oil. Put into the oven, roast for 6 minutes. Remove from oven, turn the carrots over. Put back into the oven and roast for another 6 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with salt. Serve. Eat.
Next time you are craving a little cabbage in your life, don’t boil it. Roast it with a little olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt. It will be slightly caramelized, a bit firm, and amazingly delicious. Trust us; you will love it.
Recipe: Roasted Cabbage
- 1 cabbage, cut into chunks
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt
What you need to do:
Heat oven to 425. On a baking sheet, covered with foil, lay the cabbage. Drizzle, lightly, with olive oil. Gently rub in the oil. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cabbage. Sprinkle with some salt. Put into the oven, roast for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, turn the chunks of cabbage over. Put back into the oven and roast for another 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve. Eat.
I was sitting around the other day, tossing around some ideas for new and exciting dishes. Dishes that were new but still good old stand-bys. You know the kind …. old favorites! One of the first dishes that came to mind was my friend James’ twice baked potatoes. I have not had them in years but I remember them fondly. He would never share the recipe, saying it was a secret. Even though, I watched him make them once or twice, I could never figure out that secret ingredient. They were plump, cheesy and full of bacon and green onions; but, there was something different about this tater.
I can’t say we eat very many baked potatoes around our house, which is a shame. We eat potatoes but usually in different forms; soup, fried in duck fat, as salad, gently boiled, you get the idea. We also love to eat sweet potatoes but not the sweet kind. They have to be savory. I needed something new and tasty (and gluten free) to serve with a pork roast so I decided to try to create James’ famous twice baked potato using a sweet potato.
First I baked the potatoes in a bed of kosher salt. I became a fan of baking my potatoes in kosher salt a few years ago. It creates a nice crisp skin and very moist flesh as well the flavor is really outstanding without being over salty. After I baked the potatoes, I scooped out their bright orange flesh and mixed it with some fried pancetta, sauteed green onions, a little butter and sour cream and a handful of freshly grated gouda. After re-baking the stuffed potato skins until warm, I topped each one with a slight dollop of chipotle sour cream. The spicy cream was a great companion to the salty pancetta and nutty gouda. It was a party in our mouths!! This is perfect with a roasted pork roast or a grilled steak, yet, it is filling enough to stand on it’s own.
What is your favorite twice baked potato recipe?
Recipe: Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Cream
3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean, dried and small holes pricked throughout
1 box kosher salt
3 slices pancetta, diced
3 green onions, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
kosher salt to taste
gouda parrano uniekaas, grated, handful
Heat oven to 400. Line a deep baking dish with foil. Fill with about half way full. Bury the potatoes in the salt, cover with the remaining salt. Bake until soft inside, about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on size of the potatoes. While the potatoes are cooking, cook the pancetta until golden. Add the green onions, stir and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven. Let cool about 10 minutes. Slice in half. Gently remove the flesh, leaving a slight lining as to not go through the skin of the potato. Put the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash with a fork. Add the pancetta mixture, butter and teaspoon of sour cream, stir until mixed. Season with salt. Stuff the skins with the mixture of sweet potatoes. Put the stuffed sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet covered with kosher salt (I used salt from the first baking) and slide into a 350 oven and cook until warmed throughout, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for a couple minutes. Top with a spoonful of chipotle cream. Serve. Eat.
Recipe: Chipotle Cream
1/4 cup sour cream, full fat
3 teaspoons chipotle powder
Mix in a small bowl, let set at room temperature until time to serve potatoes.
If you enjoyed this dish, you may enjoy these others as well:
Judis Bistro Twice Baked Potatoes
Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes
Remember those beautiful chanterelles we received? Well we had two fairly good sized ones left, which left us with the delemma of what to make. We both love grilled steaks with mushrooms … need we say more!
The chanterelles are so flavorful that they really do not need too much added to them. I sauteed them simply with olive oil, thyme, a little shallot, garlic and then finished it off with butter. Perfect companion for these beautiful grass-fed steaks!
These chanterelles would also be lovely on a piece of toasted baguette.
Recipe: Sauteed Chanterelles
2 medium sized chanterelles, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon butter
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add the shallot and garlic, give a stir and cook for about 3minutes, to soften. Add chanterelles. Stir. Lower heat and cook until soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir on and off during this process. Add thyme and butter, stir. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. Eat.
Organic brown rice is simmered to perfection with green onions, olive oil and grated carrots, then lightly scented with warm bahart, served with simply roasted cauliflower for an easy midweek dinner or a great side for a roasted meal inspired meal.
We are down to bare bones at our house, it is definitely time to hit the market again. I only had a few ingredients to work with cauliflower, rice (thanks to Gudrun, for snagging me a big bag of Massa Orangics Brown Rice at Blogher – been dying to try their rice), some random staple veggies and spices. Usually when I have cauliflower around, I end up steaming it or turning it into soup – this was not exciting at all. As well, we are not big rice fans as we find it rather boring, but these were my ingredients to use – feel like a “Chopped Episode”.
I decided I would saute some green onions with garlic and then lightly brown the rice before adding the water. While it was simmering, I rummaged through my spices and decided to go with a middle eastern inspired meal, by adding Baharat. Baharat? Some of you may be wondering what that is, others know exactly what I am talking about. Baharat, in Arabic, means spices. It is a mixture of spices that is used in Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, Iraqi, Israeli and Palestinian as well as in Turkish and Iranian dishes. Typical ingredients of Baharat include: allspice, black peppercorns, cardamon, cassia, cloves, coriander, cumin, nutmeg and dried red chilies or paprika. While the rice was simmering away (and did it smell great or what), I roasted the cauliflower with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. By the time the rice was finished, the cauliflower was roasted to a nice golden color. I seasoned the rice with a little grey salt and a sprinkle more of the baharat. The caramelized cauliflower was the perfect companion to the warm comforting rice – the baharat added such a pleasant aroma and taste to the entire dish.
Recipe: Baharat Scented Rice
2 green onions, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon baharat
1/2 carrot, grated
kosher salt to taste
Heat olive oil in a saucepan, over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, give a couple stirs and then add the rice. Stir a few times until the rice is lightly golden. Add the water and baharat, bring down to a simmer, cover and let cook for about 45 – 50 minutes. 10 minutes before it is finished stir in the carrot and season with salt. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Serve. Eat.
Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower, stem removed and washed, pat dry
drizzle of olive oil
sprinkle of sea salt
Heat oven to 425. Slice cauliflower and lay in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprikle with salt. Put into oven and roast for about 45 minutes, until golden, cooked but slightly crunchy, unless you prefer a softer vegtable, then cook longer. Remove from oven. Serve. Eat.
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