Mod Meals on Mendenhall

This morning I heard a presentation  by my friends Charlie Brummitt and Elizabeth Gibbs from the Greensboro Farmer’s Curb Market to the Gate City Rotary. Not only did they share an in-depth description of how the Market operates and it’s history but also the importance of purchasing our food locally and supporting the wealth of farmers in our region. As Elizabeth said with passion, “Everyday you vote with a dollar for what kind of world you want to live in.” I can always do a better job with how I vote with my dollar and it’s been a pleasure getting to know local farmers and their products through this blog and my print column. I hope you’ll join me in supporting the Market and their efforts. There are some exciting improvements ahead too!

Speaking of, you can find some really amazing cauliflower at the Greensboro Farmer’s Market right now. Last weekend I picked up a beautiful yellow cauliflower that had a sweeter taste than your average supermarket variety. I made several dishes throughout the week with the yellow cauliflower – including eating it raw with hummus over the kitchen sink on a busy night. But, Saturday night I used half of it to make a decandent Gratin with potatoes and the neverending supply of New Years Eve fondue cheese in my freezer. It was very rich and paired well with the fancy steaks and seasonal salads. All gratins are very easy if you can put together a bechamel sauce and use good cheese. Here’s how I did this one:

Boil, steam or microwave the potatoes and cauliflour until almost tender. I used about 4 small yukon gold potatoes and a half of a head of yellow califlower (enough to fill the dish I was using). Make a bechamel sauce by melting two tablespoons of butter, whisking in 2 tablespoons of flour until combined and starting to brown (it will smell nutty). Slowly add 2 cups of warm milk – whisk until incorporated and starting to thicken. Add grated Jarlsberg or gruyere cheese to taste. Add some nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the potates and cauliflower and bake at 350 until bubbly and brown on the top.

Lately I’ve been scrapping every surface of my brain for new potato recipes. I’ve got a lot of standby recipes for almost every variation of the potato but it’s always fun to discover a new trick in the kitchen. I saw the “hasselback” potato on television the other day and thought I’d try it. These are what happens when a roasted potato meets a baked potato – a quicker version of a baked potato with the fun crunch of a roasted potato – really no complaints. You could certainly top these with sour cream but we ate them right out of the oven. There really isn’t much of a recipe – I picked out smaller yukon gold potatoes, cut the bottom off to make an even surface, sliced several parallel slits into each potato top making sure not to slice completely through and topped with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary from the garden. We roasted them for about 30 to 45 minutes in an oven at 375 degrees. Depending on the size of the potato they could take more or less time. Poke them with a knife to make sure they are tender throughout before serving. Or steal one and test it yourself – that’s the perk of the cook.

I’m just crazy over how fun these look. And, of course they taste good too.

Sauteing broccoli is by far my favorite way to prepare it. My father started preparing broccoli this way when I was high school and I havent changed my ways since. In fact, I made this last night for myself! We sautéed broccoli spears in olive oil with a smash whole clove of garlic (you could use garlic olive oil too) - at about medium high until bright green, tender and caramelized. We added red chili flakes, lemon zest and pine nuts (which toasted while the broccoli cooked). There are no exact measurements for this recipe.  Actually, we didn’t cook from recipes at our Off Mendenhall Cooking Class – we just relied on tasting and experimenting through the lesson – which is how I prefer to cook.

This recipe can be adapted with other seasonings or flavors. It is a great side – or add a couple of Italian sausages and throw it over pasta!

My mother has been raving about the new baked french fry recipe she has been using. I finally got around to testing it this weekend and she is right – they are The Best Baked French Fries. They also couldn’t be easier. I do recommend keeping an eye on them as mine got a litter crisper near the hours end. It also depends on how thick you cut the potatoes. I recommend using a russet potato for this – and not a red or Yukon Gold. They were a great side to my Coffee Rubbed Burgers with Spicy Texas BBQ Sauce. I’m glad I only made two potatoes worth or I would have eaten many many more.

Here is my mom’s recipe in her words.

Mom’s Best Baked French Fry Recipe:

Use a low sided baking pan, like a jelly roll pan. Pour a couple of tablespoons or less of cooking oil, not olive oil, on it and smear it around. Peel and cut potatoes into steak fry wedges and dry with paper towels. Place potatoes on the oiled pan and do not overlap or pile on top. If you have more than 3 people, you will need 2 pans. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for an hour on a high position in the oven, ( a couple of inches down from the top). I usually try to turn them over about half way through cooking.