The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (80 page)

SERVES 4

A Japanese or French mandoline is great for slicing vegetables uniformly—anywhere from very thin to thick—and takes much less time than slicing by hand with a knife.

1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for pan

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, and place the rack in the middle of the oven. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until well coated.

2.
Generously brush a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, and overlap the potato slices just slightly. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp in places, about 30 minutes.

pommes frîtes

SERVES 8 TO 10

Make sure to use at least a 5-quart saucepan so the oil won’t bubble over.

8 russet potatoes

2 to 3 quarts vegetable oil

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1.
Peel the potatoes, if desired; cut into ½-inch-thick matchsticks. Place in a bowl of cold water to soak for 10 minutes.

2.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan (at least 5 quarts) to 325°F. Remove the potatoes from water; dry very well with paper towels. Working in batches, blanch potatoes 2 minutes (they will not take on any color). Drain well; cool completely on pans lined with paper towels.

3.
Raise the heat of the oil to 375°F. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Working in batches, fry potatoes until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain well; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt; keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining potatoes. Serve immediately.

roasted fingerling potatoes with seasoned salt

SERVES 4

A copper gratin dish or cast-iron skillet is ideal for roasting potatoes, but a rimmed baking sheet works equally well. To ensure the potatoes cook evenly, slice larger ones in half lengthwise and leave smaller ones whole.

2 teaspoons coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1½ pounds fingerling potatoes, scrubbed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a large ovenproof gratin dish or skillet in the oven 15 minutes. Combine the salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary in a small bowl.

2.
Toss the potatoes in a medium bowl with the olive oil. Sprinkle generously with the seasoned salt mixture, and arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the preheated pan. Roast until they are golden on the outside and tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and serve hot with additional seasoned salt on the side.

oven-roasted new potatoes

SERVES 10

3 pounds mixed small new potatoes, unpeeled

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss the potatoes with the oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well coated. Transfer to a 9 × 13-inch metal baking dish and spread in a single layer. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

baked potato chips

SERVES 4

Vegetable oil cooking spray

2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. Put the potatoes, oil, and cayenne in a large bowl; season with salt and black pepper. Toss to combine.

2.
Arrange the potato slices on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them ¼ inch apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Spread the potatoes on parchment paper; let dry 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.

mashed potatoes with olive oil

SERVES 10

3½ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Cover the potatoes with cold water in a large pot; add salt. Bring to a boil. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes; drain. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in the oil; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil, and serve immediately.

mashed squash and potatoes with amaretti

SERVES 12

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 pounds buttercup squash (about 1 small), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

½ cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

10 amaretti (Italian almond cookies), crushed into fine crumbs (about ¾ cup)

1.
Cover the potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add salt. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook the potatoes until soft, about 25 minutes. In another medium saucepan, cover the squash with cold water. Bring to a boil; add salt. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and squash thoroughly.

2.
Force the potatoes through a ricer into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mash the squash with a potato masher; stir in the potatoes.

3.
Bring 4 tablespoons butter and the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon salt and the nutmeg. Season with pepper. Stir the cream mixture and
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cup cheese into the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon into a buttered 10-inch round baking dish.

4.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the mixture with the crushed cookies and remaining cheese. Dot the topping with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until the topping is just browned, 20 to 30 minutes.

classic potato gratin

SERVES 6 TO 8

Unsalted butter, for the baking dish

1 cup heavy cream

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds

2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 6 ounces)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch-square baking dish, and set aside.

2.
Whisk together the cream, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg in a small bowl, and set aside. Toss the potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

3.
Arrange one-third of the potatoes in the buttered dish, overlapping the slices. Sprinkle with one-third of the cheese. Repeat two more times with the remaining potatoes and cheese (end with a cheese layer). Pour the reserved cream mixture over the top layer. Gently shake the dish back and forth to distribute evenly.

4.
Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil; bake until bubbling and well browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

roasted yam halves

SERVES 4

Halving the yams before roasting greatly reduces the cooking time and allows them to develop a nice golden crust.

2 yams or sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the yams, and place, cut side up, in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with the oil, and sprinkle with the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

southwestern sweet potato gratin

SERVES 8 TO 10

Chihuahua, Cotija, and Mexican crema give the dish authentic flavor, but Monterey Jack, French feta, and sour cream are good substitutes.

Unsalted butter, for baking dish

4 large sweet potatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced into rounds

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1½ cups grated Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese (6 ounces)

1½ cups Cotija or French feta cheese, crumbled (6 ounces)

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo (optional)

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock, or water

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Lime wedges, for garnish

Mexican crema or sour cream, for garnish (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish; set aside. Toss the potatoes with 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Arrange half of the potatoes in the buttered dish, overlapping the slices. Sprinkle with half of each cheese. Top with onion.

2.
Stir the chipotle (if desired) into the stock; drizzle over the onion. Sprinkle with half the cilantro. Top with the remaining potatoes; sprinkle with the remaining cheeses and cilantro. Scatter the chips on top.

3.
Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil; bake until very tender and top is well browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve with limes, and with crema, if desired.

skillet sweet potatoes with wild mushrooms

SERVES 8 TO 10

1 ounce dried wild mushrooms, such as porcini (about 1 cup)

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons brandy

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Olive oil, for the skillet

6 sweet potatoes (about 5 pounds), peeled and cut into
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-inch-thick rounds

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl; cover with boiling water. Let soak, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms; reserve
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cup soaking liquid. Using paper towels, squeeze out excess water from the mushrooms; roughly chop, and set aside.

2.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, with the rack in the center. In a small bowl, whisk the brandy, 5 tablespoons butter, and reserved mushroom liquid. Rub a 9-inch seasoned cast-iron skillet with oil. Arrange one-quarter of the potatoes in a single layer on the bottom, overlapping slightly. Scatter one-third of the mushrooms over the potatoes, then drizzle with one-quarter of the brandy mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat the layering two more times; top with the remaining potatoes and liquid; season with salt.

3.
Cover the skillet tightly with foil. Bake until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil, and brush the top with the remaining tablespoon butter. Continue baking until the potatoes are golden brown and tender, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

lemon and caper mashed potatoes

SERVES 4

To keep mashed potatoes warm for up to 2 hours, place them in a heatproof bowl over a pot filled with 3 inches of barely simmering water; cover to seal in the steam.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup milk

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons capers, drained and coarsely chopped

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 15 minutes. Drain; using a potato masher or potato ricer, mash the potatoes.

2.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 5 tablespoons butter and the milk, lemon juice, zest, and capers. Heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm to the touch.

3.
Fold the milk mixture and the parsley into the mashed potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Dot with the remaining tablespoon butter just before serving.

roasted baby potatoes with romesco sauce

SERVES 4

Romesco sauce, from the Catalonian region of Spain, is traditionally served with shellfish. We serve our version with roasted potatoes. It’s even better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to blend: Refrigerate it overnight in a covered container, and bring to room temperature before serving.

3 ounces whole blanched almonds

2 red bell peppers

1 small garlic clove

1 teaspoon coarse salt

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teaspoon smoked hot paprika

¼ cup loosely packed mint leaves

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar