Tag Archives: vegan

Beet and Orange Salad with Goat Cheese

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Salads and tagged with , , , , , ,

Beets are one vegetable that I’ve had a complete turn-around on.  That is to say,  I didn’t used to like them and now I love them.  Roasting is what brought about my change of heart.  Once beets have been roasted they taste like a completely different vegetable.  I’ve described my method for roasting them in an earlier blog post that you can find here.  I frequently use them in salads as they combine well with other vegetables and some fruits.

Beet and Orange salad with Goat Cheese

Beet and Orange salad with Goat Cheese

Oranges are one of the fruits that play well with beets.  Their citrusy sweetness goes well with the sweetness that roasting brings out in beets.  Then I add some greens for color and texture contrast and nuts for crunch, in this case, pistachios.   Over the top is drizzled a Dijon vinaigrette dressing and some crumbled goat cheese.  Mr. D. loves this salad and asks for it on many occasions.  I kind of like it too!

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Please note, in the recipe below, directions are given for quickly cooking beets in the microwave if you are short on time for oven roasting them.  This works well in a pinch.

BEET AND ORANGE SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Yield:   Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1  1/2 pounds halved, peeled beets  (wear gloves for peeling or you will have stained fingers)
  • 1 navel orange, peeled and sectionedIMG_5271
  • 2 cups mixed salad greens
  • 1/3 cup salted pistachios
  • 2 Tablespoons goat cheese

Dressing:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4  tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1.  Wrap beets in parchment paper.  Microwave on HIGH until tender, about 7 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Cut into 1-inch pieces and place in a salad bowl.

2.  Section the orange and place the pieces in the salad bowl with the beets.**

3.  Add the salad greens to the salad bowl with the beets and orange sections.

4.  Whisk together all the dressing ingredients till well blended.   Add to salad bowl.  Toss  to coat.

5.  Top with the  pistachio nuts and crumbled goat cheese.

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** When I make this salad for two of us, I construct it on salad plates, as you see pictured.

SOURCE:   Cooking Light

A Recipe of Few—

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , ,

Today has been a very busy day and at this hour I’m tired so this will be a post of few words.  Luckily the recipe I have to share with you is one of few words also.  A recipe of few—-

few ingredients

few steps

few utensils

BUT

big flavor

Try it!

Old Bay Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Old Bay Roasted Sweet Potatoes

OLD BAY ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

Few ingredients: 1-2-3.

Few ingredients: 1-2-3.

Yield:   Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes  ( about 1 1/2 pounds total),  scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 *F.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes, olive oil, and Old Bay seasoning.

Utensils? a knife and a baking dish.

Utensils? a knife and a baking dish.

Bake until  potatoes are deep golden brown on all sides, about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Out of the oven, crusty and brown.

Out of the oven, crusty and brown.

This side dish goes will with roasted chicken or pork, seared steak, or sautéed shrimp.

If you’ve never used Old Bay seasoning, you must try it.  It contains a mixture of several spices, usually used on shell fish, but it brings out the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes.

SOURCE:    Martha Stewart

Braised Cauliflower and Squash Penne Pasta

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

One of the items I always keep in my pantry is at least one box of chicken broth.  I reach for it when I make a quick sauce or to moisten a leftover casserole.  But more important it’s the way to fast flavorful dinners.  Obviously its used in soups, but I also use it to whip up dishes like risotto, or a one-pot meal such as the one I have for you today.

Braised Cauliflower & Squash Penne Pasta

Braised Cauliflower & Squash Penne Pasta

If I had all the time in the world, making my own chicken broth  by simmering meat, bones, and vegetables for hours would be ideal,  but I don’t, so that’s why I love boxed chicken broth.  I have cans of broth on my shelf too, for when only small amounts are needed, and I know I’ll use all of it, but for convenience, you can’t beat the box.  Pop the top and you’re ready to go.   Even when opened it keeps a long time in the refrigerator.   If you haven’t gotten around to trying boxed chicken broth, try it once for the convenience, but be sure to choose one with reduced sodium content.

A satisfying meatless meal.

A satisfying meatless meal.

This recipe for penne pasta with cauliflower and butternut squash goes together quickly, is a wonderful combination of flavors, and best of all the pasta cooks right in the broth with the vegetables, getting all that extra flavorful.  The starch from the pasta combines with the broth as it simmers and creates a thickened silky sauce.  And because its all cooked in one pot, cleanup is a breeze.  The dish can be vegetarian/vegan by using vegetable broth instead of the chicken, but expect the sauce to be a little bit darker in color.

We loved this dish as a meatless meal, served with a green salad,  but it would also be a great side dish to baked chicken, pork or fish.

BRAISED CAULIFLOWER AND SQUASH PENNE PASTA

Yield:   Makes 4 servings

Just a few ingredients.

Just a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 4 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta (about 3 cups)
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets, about 1-inch size
  • 2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut about 1-inch size pieces
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup shredded Romano cheese

Directions:

1.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.   Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2.  Add broth, penne, cauliflower and squash.  ( a quick side note:  I roasted my squash with red onions and a little olive oil, to caramelize it and intensify the flavor, then added it to the cauliflower and pasta mixture at the end.)

Add cauliflower and pasta to the pan with chicken broth.

Add cauliflower and pasta to the pan with chicken broth.

Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook, uncovered, until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thickened and greatly reduced, 14 to 16 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in pepper and let stand for 5 minutes.  Serve topped with cheese.

Serve topped with grated Romano cheese.

Serve topped with grated Romano cheese.

SOURCE:   Eating Well

Tomato Curry Soup

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Soups and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Fresh Tomato Curry Soup

Fresh Tomato Curry Soup

Here we are again, Theme Thursday, and the theme is still tomatoes.  Today I have a recipe for Tomato Soup with the added flavor of curry to give it a little zing.

The inspiration for this soup came in a brown paper bag,  a plain brown wrapper you might say, but there was nothing naughty inside.  No, I’m happy to tell you the bag was full of ripe tomatoes.  A friend, going away for a few days, picked all the ripe tomatoes from her garden, and brought them to me, knowing that I would make good use of them.  Such a good friend!  My creative juices started flowing and looking for recipes for tomatoes I found several for soup.  I liked something about this one, and something about that one, but not everything about any one of them.  So how did I choose which one to make?  I didn’t.  I made a merger, taking a little from here and a little from there,  and came up with this idea for a tomato soup.

Using a large onion chopped, I sautéed it in butter then added the curry powder, stirred it around for a minute or so to blend flavors, added the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth and let it simmer a while.  So simple, and yet so good.

I used 2 1/2  pounds of fresh tomatoes with skins removed, and seeds squeezed out, but the really nice thing is that you can use  canned crushed tomatoes ( 28 oz. can), and have this soup anytime you want it.  You don’t need to wait for tomato season to roll around.  I also used chicken broth, but, here too, you can make a substitution and use vegetable broth instead for a vegetarian/vegan soup.  Since I associate curry with Indian cookery, and sour cream is also widely used in Indian cookery, at serving time I swirled a little sour cream into each bowl of soup and sprinkled on chopped chives for garnish.

We enjoyed this soup totally, and along with it I made a pretty spectacular grilled cheese sandwich, using kale, caramelized onions and cheese.  Wow!!  Stop back next week when I’ll have that recipe ready for you.  For now, here’s the soup.

Rich, deep tomato flavor. The curry is mild, but you can add more if you like.

Rich, deep tomato flavor. The curry is mild, but you can add more if you like.

TOMATO CURRY SOUP

Yield:   serves 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds tomatoes, onion, butter, chicken broth and curry seasoning.

2-3 pounds tomatoes, onion, butter, chicken broth and curry seasoning.

  • 1/2 cup  ( 1 medium) onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter ( 1/2 stick)
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder ( more if you like)
  • 2 – 3  pounds fresh tomatoes, skinned and seeds squeezed out, ( or use 1  28 -oz. can crushed tomatoes)
  • 1 32-oz. container chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • chopped chives for garnish

1.  Melt butter in a large sauce pan.  Sauté onion in butter until transparent.  Add in curry powder, stirring over low heat for  1 – 2 minutes to blend flavors.

2.  Add tomatoes and chicken stock. Break up tomatoes with a wooden spoon as much as possible.   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 15 – 20 minutes.  You can smooth out the soup by pureeing in a blender or use an immersion blender.  Otherwise serve as is; it will be a little chunky.

3.  Ladle into serving bowls, swirl in 1 – 2 teaspoons sour cream.  Garnish with chopped chives.

If you like tomato soup, you will like this.

If you like tomato soup, you will like this.

Source:   a Carolyn Original

Gardener’s Ratatouille

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,
Gardner's Ratatouille

Gardner’s Ratatouille

What could be better at this time of year than Ratatouille, a vegetable stew.  Using all the fresh vegetables that are so plentiful now, I made up a large pan of this dish.  We love it when I first make it, and we like it even better the second time around when the  flavor seems to get even better.

Extras can be slowly reheated very successfully, but it is actually quite good served cold.  We particularly enjoy folding the leftovers inside a croissant, for a light lunch.  If you wish you can turn this dish into a hearty meal by adding some protein such as grilled sausages during the final stage of cooking.

The ingredients listed provide a guideline;  you can change up the vegetables to suit your taste, or what’s available when you make it.  For instance I used yellow summer squash instead of zucchini.  A red pepper can take the place of a green pepper.  One thing you must do, if making this dish, is use lots of fresh herbs.  Unfortunately I didn’t have any fresh oregano, so I used dried, ( 1 teaspoon),  but I did use fresh basil and parsley.   Fresh herbs make a hugh difference in the taste.

Also, you know how eggplant can soak up a lot of oil, well this recipe only uses 2 teaspoons olive oil to sauté the onions, the rest of the moisture comes from the vegetables as they are cooked slowly while covered, and the eggplant takes on the flavors of the vegetables and herbs it is cooked with.  Also, be sure to cut all the vegetables the same size to ensure even cooking.

GARDENER’S RATATOUILLE

Yield:  6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

    Beautiful Fresh Vegetables

    Beautiful Fresh Vegetables

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cups chopped plum tomato ( about 1 pound, or 3 tomatoes)
  • 2 cups chopped peeled eggplant (aubergine)
  • 1  1/2 cups chopped zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1.   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion;  sauté 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

Saute onions with peppers.

Saute onions, then add tomatoes

Add tomato, eggplant, pepper, squash, and garlic.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer slowly about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in all the remaining vegetables.

Add in all the remaining vegetables.

2.  When vegetables are tender, stir in oregano and remaining ingredients;  cook, uncovered 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates.

Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

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Serving size:  3/4 cup.   Calories, 91,  Fat, 3 g,  Protein, 2.8g., Carb 16g.. Fiber  4.6 g.,  Sodium 308 mg.

SOURCE:  Cooking Light

Jamocha Silk Pie

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts, Pies, Pastry and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Jamocha Silk Pie

Jamocha Silk Pie

This pie is so incredibly good it’s hard to know where to begin describing it.  There are many layers of flavor that all come together to produce a uniquely rich flavor profile and texture, and one slice is totally satisfying.

It is very easy to make, and only takes about 10 minutes to assemble.   It starts with a tofu base to which cocoa, coffee, melted chocolate, coconut flakes and almond milk are added  Then it all gets poured into a crumb crust. A short time in the freezer to firm up and you are ready to cut and enjoy this creation.

If you love chocolate you will love this pie!!

If you love chocolate you will love this pie!!

The pie’s texture comes from the addition of unsweetened coconut flakes to the other ingredients in the blender, but it does not get blended completely smooth.  Then chopped pecans get stirred in at the end.  So what you get is the smooth, dark richness of chocolate, a rough texture and flavor from coconut and a bit of chew from the pecans.  An interesting mix that somehow works.  All of us at my house devoured this pie at one sitting.  No one even guessed it contained tofu, and although I haven’t tried it,  I believe you could get the same great results using an equal amount of cream cheese in its place.

JAMOCHA SILK PIE

Yield:   8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 12.3 oz. silken tofu  (one package)

    Assemble all the ingredients.

    Assemble all the ingredients.

  • 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp. almond milk (add a little more if your blender needs extra liquid to get going)
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup brewed strong coffee
  • 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 Tbsp. brewed coffee
  • 2 Tbsp. agave nectar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1 graham cracker or chocolate crumb crust
  • whipped topping, optional

To Make:

1.  In a blender container, combine tofu, cocoa powder, almond milk, vanilla, coffee, and flaked coconut.  That’s not a mistake, the coconut makes the texture awesome when it all gets blended in.  Blend until smooth.

2.  In a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and a tablespoon of brewed coffee.  Melt and stir until smooth.  Let cool down a bit and add to the blender mixture.  Then add agave nectar to desired sweetness and the pinch salt.  Taste and adjust to desired sweetness and consistency.  The pie is intended to be rich and bittersweet.

3.  Pour into a bowl, and manually stir in the pecans.   Pour into the crumb crust.

Pour the chocolate filling into a crumb crust.

Pour the chocolate filling into a crumb crust.

Cover and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up. Or place in refrigerator if serving at a later time.

Chilled pie ready to be cut and served.

Chilled pie ready to be cut and served.

4.  Once the pie has reached desired firmness, cut into 8 equal serving pieces and crown with whipped topping of choice.

Deeee--lish!

Deeee–lish!

This pie will keep well for a week when covered and stored in the fridge.

SOURCE:   VegKitchen with Nava Atlas

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers, Quick Meals, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Zucchini Pizza Bites

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Here it is Theme Thursday, and I have another recipe for you that makes use of zucchini, this time in a slightly different way.  These little bites of zucchini with  pizza toppings  treat the zucchini like the crust of your favorite pizza so there are fewer calories because you’ve eliminated the carbs!   Small enough for just a bite or two they could be appetizers, snacks, something to go with soup or a salad, just about any way you want to use them.  They are gluten-free , low cal, and perfect for a meatless meal.

So cute, and you can enjoy them guilt-free.

So cute, and you can enjoy them guilt-free.

If you have a big zucchini to use, slice it straight across and get fairly large rounds,  if you have a smaller zucchini, cut it on the diagonal for large ovals.  Top them with some sauce, any kind of topping,  basil and melted cheese, or whatever you like on your pizza.  These are a must to try while zucchini is in season and plentiful.

ZUCCHINI PIZZA BITES

Yield:   Quantities listed are for 1 serving.  Increase as desired to make more.

Ingredients:

  • 6 slices large zucchini, 1/4-inch thick ( or 1 medium zucchini, cut on the diagonal)
  • olive oil, or olive oil spray
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. marinara sauce
  • 1/4 cup crumbled, cooked sausage, or other toppings
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1.  Cut zucchini about 1/4-inch thick.  Brush or spray both sides lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut zucchini into circles or ovals about 1/4-inch thick.

Cut zucchini into circles or ovals about 1/4-inch thick.

2.  Broil or grill the zucchini for about 2 minutes on each side.  Top with sauce, topping of choice and cheese and broil for an additional minute or two.  Be careful not to burn the cheese.

The ones that are pictured here are topped with fried peppers and onions and some have crumbles of sausage on them.  I’ve also made them with a slice of pepperoni.  All equally good.  You can’t go wrong with these.

So cute, and you can enjoy them guilt-free.

So cute, and you can enjoy them guilt-free.

SOURCE:   slightly adapted from Skinny Taste

Pasta Primavera

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

This dish is a big favorite at our house.  My husband ordered it once while we were on vacation, and absolutely loved it.  He still talks about how wonderful it was.  Just between you and me I think his memory has greatly enhanced it over time,  but since he first ate this meal, I have tried to recreate it.  These are the requirements:  pasta must be farfalle (bow-tie pasta), vegetables must be julian cut, sauce must be loose/wet, not creamy.    Several years ago I hit on the right combination, and he pronounced it “perfect”.  Hooray!

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Primavera is the Italian word for “spring”, and when I make it during the springtime, I use vegetables in season during the spring.  In today’s version I use vegetables that are more available in the summer with so much that is garden fresh now.  That’s the versatility of this recipe, you can change up what you put in it, and it still tastes great.

The recipe that gave me a basis to work with came from Giada DeLaurentiis’ book, Everyday Italian.   I made some modifications, mainly with the seasonings, to try to recapture the flavor Mr. D. remembers.  I also roasted the vegetables all together on a baking sheet seasoned with some olive oil and Italian herbs.  If all the vegetables are cut into the same size pieces, they will all cook up in the same time frame.  While they are roasting, you can have the pasta cooking, and you can be sauteing onion and garlic along with the other ingredients for the sauce.  Once the parts are cooked, put them all together, and you’re done. Simple and delicious!

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PASTA PRIMAVERA

Yield:   Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 3 carrots, peeled

    An assortment of vegetables and pasta make the meal.

    An assortment of vegetables and pasta make the meal.

  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 2 yellow summer squash
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1 Tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound dried farfalle pasta (bow-tie pasta)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1  1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • fresh basil, chopped for garnish
  • shredded Parmesan cheese, for topping

1.  Preheat the oven to 450*F.   Cut the carrots, zucchini, squash, and bell peppers into thin 2-inch-long strips.  On a heavy baking sheet toss the vegetable strips with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, Italian herbs, salt and  pepper.  Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another large, heavy baking sheet, and arrange the vegetables evenly over  both sheets.

Colorful vegetables, julian cut, before roasting.

Colorful vegetables, julian cut, before roasting.

2.  Bake, stirring after the first 10 minutes, and continue baking until carrots are tender and the other vegetables begin to brown, about 20 minutes, total.   Note:  my vegetables were fork tender at the 10 minute time, so watch carefully.  They should have a little chew to them and not be over cooked.

3.  Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the farfalle and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8-9  minutes.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

4.   In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil.  Add the chopped onion, and minced garlic.  Cook on low until they are tender.  Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar.  Mix to incorporate.  Add the pasta and roast vegetables and toss together.  Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to liquify the sauce to your taste.

Add the pasta and vegetables to the sauce .

Add the pasta and vegetables to the sauce .

5.  Put into a large bowl, garnish with chopped basil and serve with Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Serve in a large bowl, garnished with fresh basil.

Serve in a large bowl, garnished with fresh basil.

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SOURCE:   Modified from  Everyday Italian, by Giada DeLaurentiis

We All Scream!

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , , , ,
A non-dairy ice cream that is rich and creamy.

A non-dairy ice cream that is rich and creamy.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, but not everyone can eat the traditional dairy version of ice cream.

Even though we love the full-fat dairy ice-creams, I have been experimenting with using other non-dairy ingredients to still get a creamy satisfying frozen dessert, with less fat and sugar.    I had not been aware until recently how many products are available and how rich and satisfying a dessert can be when using them.  This recipe today is for a wonderful chocolate hazelnut ice cream using coconut milk.  It also includes cocoa powder and maple syrup as a sweetener.  The hazelnut flavor can be intensified through the addition of about 1/4 cup Hazelnut liqueur, but that is optional.

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CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT ICE CREAM

Yield:   Makes about 4 cups or 1 quart

Ingredients:

The main ingredients.

The main ingredients.

  • 2 cans full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • pinch cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 1/4 cup Hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico, optional

To make:   Pour all the above ingredients, except the nuts and Hazelnut liqueur,  into a blender container and process till smooth.  Pour into a covered bowl and chill overnight.

The next day, pour into the canister of an ice-cream maker and process as per directions.  In the last couple of minutes add the nuts and the liqueur, if using.   Alcohol products are added at the end of processing time so they do not interfere with the freezing process.  Freeze in an ice-cream container until firm.

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SOURCE:   All-recipes.com

Grilled Hasselbach Potatoes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Hasselbach Potatoes

Hasselbach Potatoes

Hasselbach potatoes are a Swedish version of  baked potatoes.  They get their name from Hasselbacken, the Stockholm restaurant where they were first served. The seasoned potatoes turn out crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside.  They go with just about any entree.

Since we were preparing a full meal on the grill I wanted to include these potatoes if possible.  I got the idea that perhaps it would work after reading Bobby Flay’s book Barbecue Addiction in which he prepared whole potatoes on the grill.   So this is what I came up with–potatoes that have a garlic-scented mayonnaise, some crispy bacon bits and a scattering of fines herbes, wrapped up in foil and baked on the grill.  In order to have the potatoes cook in the same time frame as the pork chops that I was also grilling, I precooked the potatoes in the microwave until they were beginning to get tender, but were not thoroughly cooked.  Then I sliced them in the Hasselbach style, seasoned them, wrapped them in foil and finished cooking them on the grill.

IMG_4476

GRILLED HASSELBACH POTATOES

Yield:  serves 2 to 3

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed to a paste or grated
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. grainy mustard, or yellow mustard
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 or 3 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
  • 1 -2 Tbsp. crumbled bacon or bacon bits
  • 1 Tbsp. mixed, dried fines herbes, ( parsley, rosemary, tarragon)

Directions:

1.  Wash and dry the potatoes, leaving the skin on.  Pierce in several places and cook in microwave for about 5 minutes, until they begin to steam, but are not yet soft to the touch. (Adjust time according to the number of potatoes you are cooking.)  Remove and cool so you can handle them.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, and mustards in a small bowl;  season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

3.  Heat your grill to medium heat for direct grilling.

4.  Put the potatoes on a cutting board, and one at a time, lay the handle of a wooden spoon next to the potato.  Slice the potato at 1/4-inch intervals, down to where the knife meets the wooden spoon handle.  This stops the knife and prevents you from cutting all the way through the potato.

Potato cut into slices ready for seasoning.

Potato cut into slices ready for seasoning.

5.  Spread the slices apart slightly and with a knife spread the mayonnaise aioli mixture on the cut sides of the potato. Spread some mayonnaise mixture on the top.   Sprinkle on bacon bits and herbs all over the tops of the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Use a generous sized piece of heavy-duty foil and wrap each potato securely so it doesn’t leak.  Place on the grill and cook for 8 – 10 minutes, turning over several times.

Potato packets on the grill. Everything cooks in about the same time..

Potato packets on the grill. Everything cooks in about the same time..

7.  To serve, unwrap each potato and place on dinner plate.

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SOURCE:   a Carolyn Original