The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (20 page)

2
pounds (about 4 large) white potatoes, peeled, sliced ¼ inch thick

2
large red onions, halved, sliced ½ inch thick

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Combine oil, chopped thyme, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Whisk to blend well. (This mustard oil can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Arrange a grill rack 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature).

Add potatoes and onions to mustard oil. Toss to coat. Set six 18-by-9-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Spray foil with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Divide vegetables evenly among foil sheets, placing them in the center of the left half of each. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper. Fold right half of foil over vegetables. Then fold edges of packages together to seal tightly.

Grill packages until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 25

minutes. To check for doneness, carefully remove 1 package from the grill, unfold the foil, and test a potato with the tip of a knife to see if it is tender. When done, remove packages from grill. Slit top of foil and fold back. Garnish potatoes with thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve vegetables in foil packages.

SKEWERED ROSEMARY RED SKINS

These grilled potatoes are always a crowd pleaser and can be almost completely prepared in
advance. I toss parboiled baby red skins in a mixture of olive oil, mustard, minced garlic, and
chopped fresh rosemary before skewering them. The skewered potatoes, which can rest at room
temperature several hours, are then grilled for several minutes until lightly charred. The potatoes
would make a distinctive garnish to grilled steaks, lamb, or chicken. And, in the unlikely event that
there are any leftover potatoes, they could be tossed in a vinaigrette dressing and served as a
salad.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Salt

1½
pounds small (1 to 1½ inches in diameter) red-skin potatoes

2½
tablespoons olive oil plus extra for oiling grill rack

2½
tablespoons Dijon mustard

3
medium cloves garlic, minced

2½
tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

Coarsely ground black pepper

6
to
8
long metal or wooden skewers (which have been soaked in water 30 minutes before using and patted dry) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Halve potatoes and add to boiling water. Cook until tender but not mushy, 10 to 12 minutes. Test potatoes with a sharp knife to see if they are done. Remove and drain in a colander. Cool potatoes 10 minutes.

Whisk together oil, mustard, garlic, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add cooked potatoes and toss well to coat. Taste a potato and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Remove and skewer the potatoes with cut sides up. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

When ready to grill potatoes, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Grill skewers, turning several times until potatoes are browned well, about 10 minutes. Remove and arrange skewers on a serving platter.

HORSERADISH AND MUSTARD–SCENTED

POTATO GRATIN

I love to serve this crusty potato gratin, accented by the hearty taste of horseradish, with grilled
steaks or chops and a tossed green salad. Chicken stock and half-and-half are used in place of
heavy cream in this dish to shave a few calories.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Butter for greasing baking dish

1
cup half-and-half

1
cup chicken stock

2
teaspoons Dijon mustard

3
pounds Yukon Gold, russet, or red-skin potatoes

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6
ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

⅓
cup drained, prepared horseradish

1½
tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-l3-inch baking pan generously.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together half-and-half, chicken stock, and mustard. Set aside while you prepare the potatoes.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Overlap ⅓ of the potatoes in the prepared pan.

Season generously with salt and pepper and sprinkle with ½ cup cheese. Using a slotted spoon, scatter ⅓ of the horseradish evenly over potatoes. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Then whisk half-and-half mixture again and pour over potatoes.

Bake potatoes until tender, top is crusty and golden brown, and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 hour. Remove and cool 10 minutes. (The dish can be covered loosely with aluminum foil and left to rest up to 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.) Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

POTATO GRATIN WITH MUSTARD AND

WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE

This rich and creamy potato gratin is best when served soon after baking. However, since it needs
to rest 15 minutes once out of the oven, you could use this quarter hour to complete a menu by
quickly grilling steaks or chops and assembling a green salad.

SERVES 6

1½
teaspoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing baking dish

½
cup fresh white bread crumbs

1½
teaspoons dried thyme

½
teaspoon salt

½
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8
ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated

2
tablespoons all-purpose flour

2½
pounds russet potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

2
cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

½
cup heavy cream

3
tablespoons Dijon mustard

Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and stir until crumbs are golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and cool crumbs. (The bread crumbs can be prepared 1

day ahead. Cover and leave at room temperature.)

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart ovenproof baking dish.

Mix thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Toss grated Cheddar and flour in a large bowl.

Arrange ⅓ of the potatoes over bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle ⅓ of thyme mixture over them, then ⅓ of cheese mixture. Repeat to make 2 more layers.

Whisk chicken broth, cream, and mustard in a medium bowl to blend. Pour broth mixture over potatoes, lifting layers gently with a fork or knife as you pour so that this liquid is evenly distributed.

Bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over top. Bake until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown, about 45 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

YUKON GOLDS BAKED WITH ARUGULA AND

BACON

I love the assertive tastes of bacon and arugula in this gratin of golden, crusty potatoes. This dish
serves ten easily, so it is perfect for a big gathering. Another bonus is that the gratin can be baked
a day ahead and reheated when needed. It is good offered as a side dish to grilled steaks or lamb
chops.

SERVES 10

Butter for greasing baking dish

12
ounces sliced bacon, chopped

2½
cups heavy cream

1½
cups whole milk

3½
pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

1½
teaspoons salt

1½
teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

8
ounces arugula, stemmed, coarsely chopped

8
ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Cook bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain.

Mix cream and milk in a 4-cup measure.

Layer ⅓ of the potatoes in prepared dish, overlapping them slightly. Season with ½ teaspoon
each
salt and pepper. Top potatoes with ½ of the arugula, then sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese and ⅓ of the bacon over this layer. Pour ⅓ of the cream mixture over potatoes. Repeat to make another layer.

Make a final layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and with remaining cheese and bacon.

Pour remaining cream mixture over this layer.

Bake gratin, uncovered, until potatoes are tender and cream mixture thickens, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; chill uncovered, until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Reheat, covered with foil, in 375-degree F

oven about 30 minutes.)

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH CRÈME

FRAÎCHE AND GRUYÈRE

Nothing could be easier than this delicious side dish made with only three primary ingredients:
potatoes, crème fraîche, and cheese. Layers of thinly sliced potatoes are spread with a thin
coating of crème fraîche, sprinkled with cheese, then put in the oven. Baked until a rich golden
crust forms and covers the tender slices beneath, this gratin makes a good partner for grilled
steaks or chops.

SERVES 6

Butter for greasing baking dish

2
pounds baking potatoes such as russet

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1
cup crème fraîche
(page 20)

4
ounces Gruyère or sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Spread half the slices over the bottom of prepared dish. Salt and pepper slices generously. Using a rubber spatula, spread half the crème fraîche over the potatoes, then sprinkle half the cheese over the crème fraîche. Make a second layer in the same way using the remaining ingredients.

Bake gratin for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F. Continue to cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and a golden brown crust has formed on top, 30 to 35 minutes more.

Remove from oven and serve hot.

Idaho is the “Land of Famous Potatoes.”

BOURSIN POTATOES

The creamy garlic-and-herb-scented cheese known as Boursin is the secret to these scalloped
potatoes. It is stirred into a warm mixture of cream and half-and-half to form a quick, but
delicious, sauce for sliced potatoes. This golden gratin would make a good side dish to offer with
grilled steaks, lamb, or chicken.

SERVES 8

Butter for greasing baking dish

1
cup heavy cream

1
cup half-and-half

1
5-ounce package Boursin cheese with herbs, broken into small chunks
3
pounds new red potatoes, unpeeled

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1½
tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch ovenproof baking dish.

Combine cream, half-and-half, and Boursin in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until cheese has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove and set aside.

Slice the potatoes thinly (about 1/8 to ¼ inch thick) and arrange half of them in the prepared dish in slightly overlapping rows. Generously season potatoes with salt and pepper. Pour half of the cream and cheese mixture over them. Repeat to make a second layer.

Bake until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 55 to 60

minutes. Remove and sprinkle with parsley.

SWEET POTATO CHIPS

The secret to producing crispy sweet potato chips lies in slicing the tubers very thinly. The slices
must be quickly fried in hot oil for a few minutes, and drained on paper towels. The chips, served
piping hot or at room temperature, are a delicious garnish to grilled burgers. They would also
make a colorful accompaniment to the Chili-Rubbed Sirloins with Guacamole Salsa
(page 24).

SERVES 6 TO 8

2
pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (see note)

Canola oil for frying chips

Kosher salt

Peel sweet potatoes. Using a large, sharp knife, carefully slice potatoes crosswise into paper-thin rounds.

Pour oil into a medium, heavy saucepan to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 325 degrees F.

Working in batches, fry sweet potato slices until they begin to curl and brown in spots, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chips to paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve warm or at room temperature. (The chips can be made 3 hours ahead.)

NOTE:
Sweet potatoes, a member of the morning glory family, come in many varieties, but two varieties are commonly available in our markets. One has tan skin and pale yellow, almost golden flesh that is somewhat dry. The other, often erroneously called “yams,” has copper-colored skin and bright orange, moist

flesh beneath. It is the latter that is best used in this recipe.

SESAME-SCENTED SUGAR SNAPS

This is such a simple recipe, but it boasts great flavor and visual appeal. Fresh, tender sugar snap
peas are steamed, then tossed with aromatic, toasted sesame oil and crunchy toasted sesame
seeds. I like to serve these with Salmon Fillets with Fresh Tarragon and Crushed Fennel
(page 87)

or with Tuna Steaks Topped with Warm Shiitake Mushrooms
(page 94).

SERVES 6

Kosher salt

1
pound sugar snap or snow peas, ends snipped off and strings removed
1½
teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus more if needed

1
teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
(see page 15)