Skordalia (Greek Potato and Garlic Dip) with Zucchini Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know. I know. Just yesterday I promised there'd be no more recipes for zucchini. Actually, I promised no more recipes for zucchini bread, so I haven't really gone back on my word. While this post does feature zucchini fritters - incredibly good zucchini fritters, I might add - its real purpose is to share a recipe for Skordalia, a Greek garlic and potato dip that is wonderful to serve with fritters, crusty bread or substantial chips. Not many folks know about Skordalia, or how easy and inexpensive it is to make. I hope we can remedy that tonight. I have two cautions to share with you. First, while the dip can be made with mashed or riced potatoes, it is infinitely easier to make with a food processor. With that fillip taken care of, the remaining caution is that the potatoes must be warm when they go into the processor if you want your dip to have a smooth texture. The dip is full-flavored and tasty, and if you are looking for an uncommon dip or spread, do give this one a try. It is wonderful when served warm with zucchini fritters. Here is how it is made.

Julia's Potato Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been at least thirty years since I made these pancakes. My children loved potato pancakes, and while they were still at home we sampled versions made in various countries around the world. I was taken aback when I found a recipe for them in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. As you might suspect, her version was a bit more complicated than most, but I'll try almost anything once, so they ended up on my table. As it turned out, my family really liked them, and, for a period of time, hers were our pancake of choice. As often happens with foods that we enjoy, but have so often we tire of them, Julia's recipe was retired when our last child went off to school. I've been going through magazines and cookbooks selecting those that will be donated and given a new home at our library's next used book sale. When I came to MAFC I stopped what I was doing and began to page through its well-worn pages. I came to the potato pancake recipe and knew they would be part of our dinner tonight. You must be forewarned, these are not a dieter's delight. If you are watching your weight, run to the nearest exit. If you allow yourself to fall from grace occasionally, do give these pancakes a try. I have a few cautions to share with you. You'll be much happier with the pancakes if you grate the potatoes on a box grater rather than in a food processor. I've altered the recipe to include carrots along with the potatoes. If you prefer not to use them, simply add another cup of potatoes to the mixture and you'll be fine. Prior to cooking, taste the batter carefully for a final addition of salt and pepper, and, as with all pancakes, do not attempt to turn them until they have browned at the edges. As it turned out, the potato pancakes ended up being dinner rather part of it. I poached eggs to put on top of them, and along with a salad, the pancakes made a great light supper. I'm always surprised by how few of Julia's early recipes are actually on the internet. I was not able to find this elsewhere, so I thought you might want to add it as a footnote to your collection of her recipes. Here is how her potato pancakes are made.

Alice Waters' Ratatouille

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ratatouille and I have a troubled past. I love the stuff, but hate the time and effort required to make classic versions of the dish. Until recently, I used Julia Child's recipe and while it makes a wonderful ratatouille, its assembly calls for separate browning of all the ingredients and that, quite frankly, is a bother. As it happened, I needed a vegan addition to my French-themed Christmas Eve menu. While ratatouille was a seamless fit, I had neither the time nor space for Julia's version, so I decided to give Alice Waters' take on the dish a try. Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Nice. The dish was first made to use the abundance of vegetables that were available at the end of summer. The vegetables were tossed and cooked in the heady olive oil of the region and eventually a formula of sorts codified preparation of the dish. Interestingly, the word ratatouille actually comes from the French term "touiller," which means to toss food. These days, the vegetables are available year round and serving ratatouille is no longer dependent on the season. It makes a great side dish, and when served with rice or polenta it becomes a terrific meatless entree. Alice Waters' version does not require separate browning of the vegetables and it comes together quite easily. If you have not already done so, I hope you will give this lighter, fresher version of the dish a try. The basil gives the dish a uniquely fresh flavor that I know you will enjoy. Here, thanks to Food52, is how her version of the stew is made.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves Brussels sprouts and each Thanksgiving I try to find a new way to prepare them for him. Tonight's feature is this year's attempt to tickle his palate and expand my recipe collection. They are not difficult to prepare and they are very tasty - as you would expect anything that uses a half pound of bacon to be. He loved them, but he made an unusual request. This year, he'd like his sprouts to be simply steamed and served only with butter. I'm more than happy to comply, despite this lovely recipe. My delight is of course based on the fact the the steamed sprouts can go from the pot to the table without last minute fussing or an extra pan. Space in our retirement kitchen is limited and anything that can be prepared with using extra pans is a clear winner in my universe. However, for those who have the space and a bit of kitchen help these sprouts are a winner. Here is how they are made.

Main Course Vegetarian Stuffed Squash

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've recently been looking for more main course vegetarian recipes. For health reasons, several of our friends, have recently adopted  a vegetarian diet and I like to cater to their dietary preferences. When I saw this recipe from Cooking Light, I knew I had to give it a try. I usually avoid recipes for acorn squash because they are so difficult to cut. Fortunately, I remembered a trick that makes them easier to deal with and decided it was time to give acorn squash another try. I used a heavy knife to pierce the squash in several places and microwaved it on HIGH power for 2 minutes. I then let it sit for several minutes before carving it as directed in the recipe below. This is a very flavorful recipe that can feed two as a main course or 4 as a side dish. The recipe is self-explanatory and easy to follow. I hope that those of you who are looking for new vegetarian recipes will gives this one a try. It is perfect for the fall season. Here is how the squash is made.

Honey and Soy Glazed Carrots

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I rarely eat sweetened or glazed vegetables, but with the holidays coming, I thought it prudent to test at least a few recipes of this type to use as potential fillers for our holiday table. I also had promised to share a low-cost holiday dish with a group whose meetings I occasionally sit in on, and these carrots allowed me to kill two birds with one stone. The group, originally sponsored by a local church, has become more informal over the eight years since it was formed, but the gals still get together 3 or 4 times a year to share low-cost recipes and cooking techniques. I thought this inexpensive side dish would break the unremitting beige of the Thanksgiving holiday table and add some much needed color without breaking the bank. The source recipe for my version of these carrots came from Food and Wine magazine. I liked the ingredients they were using, but thought the dish ended up being too salty for my taste. I played with the recipe a bit and came up with the version you see below. Tamari is a thicker, lower salt version of soy sauce that is used in Japanese cooking. I find it more robust and use it to season dishes that require soy sauce for flavor. It is more expensive than regular soy sauce, so I've recommended low-sodium soy sauce for use by anyone for who has to watch their food budget. If you are looking for something fast, colorful and inexpensive you might want to give this recipe a try. Here is how the carrots are made.

Honey and Soy Glazed Carrots...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoons honey or real maple syrup

Instructions:
1) Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.
2) Melt butter in a large skillet. Stir in carrots and Tamari and cook over high heat until carrots are browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Stir in honey and cook until carrots are glazed, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and serve. Yield: 6 servings.

                    

                                      Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                                    Two Years Ago Today:

           Cream Cheese and Cherry Loaf Cake                                Menu for Week of 11-03-2013

              Three Years Ago Today:                                                    Four Years Ago Today: 

     Apple, Sage and Sausage Dressing                                      Poulet au Vinaigre de Romarin

Rösti - Swiss Hash Brown Potatoes - Away A While Recipe Favorites

Rösti - Swiss Hash Brown Potatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It takes a while to work your way through ten pounds of potatoes. Despite all the potatoes I used last week, there was still a couple of pounds left in the sack that I wanted to finish up. I didn't want to repeat any of the dishes I had already made, so I skimmed through my files looking for a specific recipe for the Swiss version of hash brown potatoes that's called rösti. The recipe comes from Saveur magazine and I have had and used it for over a decade now. I love these potatoes, but I don't make them as often as I'd like because of the time required to get them on the table. There is nothing hard about the recipe, but the potatoes cook twice and must be chilled before they are finally browned. I usually boil and chill the potatoes the day before I plan to serve them, but, even with advanced planning, you still need the better part of an hour to complete their cooking. That being said, they are worth waiting for. The Silver Fox and I first had them years ago in a ski resort where we spent a completely unplanned day. Bad weather had forced us off the road and this was the only place to stay. We refer to the interlude as our introduction to après skiing and rösti and the meaning of the word fleeced. Rösti is a Swiss dish that consists mainly of potatoes. It is a common breakfast dish and many consider it to be the national dish of Switzerland. It was originally considered to be a complete breakfast, but over time it became an accompaniment to other dishes and was served with meals throughout the day. The dish is made with coarsely grated potatoes which can be cooked or raw. They are shaped into rounds or cooked as a large cake in a frying pan. While some add additional ingredients, the dish traditionally is seasoned only with salt and pepper before it is slowly fried in lard or butter. The process produces a wonderful crust and creamy interior that distinguishes it from standard hash browns. If you are a breakfast lover and have never tasted these potatoes, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. You will be wowed. I promise. Directions for making rösti can be found here.

                    

                                                    Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                              Two Years Ago Today:

          Russian Tea Room Carrot Bread                           Skillet Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

               Three Years Ago Today:                                                 Four Years Ago Today: 

                   Chunky Apple Cake                                             Braised Vietnamese Fish - Ca Kho To

Table for Two - Homemade Hash Browns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It has been a while since I posted a Table for Two recipe, but I was thrilled when several of you asked that they keep coming and be set apart from other recipes on the blog, perhaps even giving them  a category all their own. Come September, if the good Lord is willin' and the creek don't rise, they will be given their own page where they can be accessed quickly and in a much easier fashion than is now the case. Tonight's recipe is simple in the extreme, but I promise you'll find this version of hash brown potatoes to be delicious, as well as being scaled to feed just two people. The recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens, so you can rest assured it has been tested and the results will be spot on. I do have a couple of tips to share with you though. When I fry these I use a combination of oil and butter. The butter adds flavor, while the oil helps keep the butter from burning when the potatoes are cooked at a higher temperature. The next tip is an admission of sorts. I am not a ballerina in the kitchen, so I have to be extremely careful when it comes to flipping or turning anything. My simultaneous handling of two spatulas is better suited to a comedy routine than a cooking blog. Over the years, I've developed coping mechanisms that make me appear less clumsy than I actually am. In this case, I turn the half done potato cake onto a flat plate and slip the uncooked side of back into the pan to finish the cooking. I actually use the bottom of a cheesecake pan, which is perfectly flat,  to make the transfer. If you decide to follow suit, be forewarned that it will get hot very quickly and you will curse my name if you are not using pot holders of some type. Remember, I warned you. The Silver Fox and I have passed the age where hash browns can be part of every breakfast we eat, but when I make them, we usually use them as a base for eggs. His are basted and not quite set, while I prefer mine to be poached. The goal here is an egg that will run over the potatoes when poked, adding its eggy richness to the mix. We both like these potatoes and they are a regular feature of holiday breakfasts and those occasions when we have breakfast for dinner. I hope you will try this recipe. I know you'll be pleased with the results. Here is how these homemade hash browns are made.

Homemade Mexicorn

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful dish to serve at your next barbecue. It's a bit unusual but it's enormously flavorful and I know you and your family will enjoy it. I actually double the recipe when I make this. One batch, meant for children and those who don't enjoy highly spiced food, is made without chili powder and cumin, while the other uses the quantities suggested in the recipe below as a starting point for seasoning the corn to taste. Do be aware that whatever amount you use, the addition of chili powder will dull the vibrant color of the unseasoned corn and limit the ways in which it can be used. I've been working in a poorly equipped kitchen this week, so I purchased diced vegetables to make assembly of this dish even easier. I've also found a couple of ways to use the leftovers. Earlier this week, I shared a recipe for corn muffins that used unseasoned Mexicorn to make an unusual and tasty muffin. That same day, I used the leftover seasoned Mexicorn as a topping for bruschetta that was as delicious as it was unusual. I do hope you'll give this simple recipe a try. Here is how the Mexicorn is made.