Peas & Potatoes with a Dash of Milk

Simplicitic and straightforward can ultimately be so pleasing.  While highly complex entrees have a place, more often than not I find myself craving dishes where the ingredients themselves shine.  Peas and baby potatoes is that kind of meal.

This meal takes me back to being a kid.  Growing up on a farm our dinners were comprised of what was in season and ready to be picked.  Early June brought peas and baby potatoes to the mix.  I will completely admit that when I was a kid, I made this dish because it was so easy thus I could quickly get back to more important things like reading a book under a tree. 

This recipe is one that it is filled with approximates.  The quantity can easily be adjusted for how many you are serving- just add more potatoes, peas, and liquids!  Fresh peas in season make a huge difference- peas in season from the garden show up frozen peas in a major way.  That said, a nice quality of frozen peas can make do.  I have been using white wine as it lends a nice addition to the flavor of the soup but it is easily left out or substituted with a broth.

Peas & Potato Soup

Makes approximately 4 servings

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound baby yukon gold potatoes (approximately 7-8), peeled and sliced
1-2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine (or chicken or vegetable broth)
1 cup water
1 cup fresh peas (frozen will be an ok substitute)
1/2 to 1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 soft boiled eggs (optional)

In a large pot on medium heat, heat a drizzle of olive oil and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute until just fragrant but not brown. Add the sliced potatoes and the chopped parsley and stir. 

Next add the white wine and simmer to let the alcohol evaporate (you can just use chicken or vegetable broth). Cover with water, add the peas (if they are fresh, if frozen don't add them until the very end), and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender (If using frozen peas, add them now and cook just a minute or so until they are warm and bright colored). Drain about half of the water.  Add milk to cover and leave on the burn just until warm. Salt to taste and add black pepper.

Serve with sliced eggs if desired, a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsely, and a nice crusty slice of bread.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Comfort Food: Potato Soup

The creamy, subtle goodness that is potato soup can be a wonderfully comforting dinner for a brisk spring evening.

Potato soup is something that I grew up making and I still crave it every now and then.  While there are a few tricks (such as not getting distracted and letting the potatoes overcook or adding too much milk), it is a good dish when you are learning to cook and the many variation options help keep it from getting old.  You can add in different cheeses, sprinkle with bacon or brown ground beef, add sliced green onions, etc.  Just make sure you use a flavorful potato, I like yukon gold or baby red potatoes. 

Potato Soup

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 small onion diced Or 2 leeks
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup half and half
1- 1/2 cups milk, approximate

1 egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup flour

In a medium sized stock pan lightly sautee the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until it is nearly translucent and fragrant, stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper.  Add in the potatoes, stir.  Add enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to boil. 

In a small bowl stir the egg with a fork, gradually adding flour until the mixture is crumbly.  Cook the potatoes for approximately 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, adding the egg/flour mixture in scant teaspoon sized drops to the boiling water (these only take a minute to cook).

Drain out approximately half of the water.  Stir in enough half and half and milk to bring to the desired consistency, stir in the remaining butter.  If desired, you can use an immersion blender to make a smoother soup.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Smashed Potatoes with Dill

Mashed potatoes are one of those awesome comfort foods that are synonymous with family and/or holiday meals for many people.  And they should be so very easy to make but sometimes they just fail.  They end up to0 lumpy (I personally like a little lumpy) or too dry or just kind of blah in flavor.  This recipe has to be almost fail proof.

This is the first time I used a potato masher instead of my trusty mixer and honestly it was easier to make them sans electronics.  They smashed up to that perfect consistency that sometimes eludes my mixer.  And doing the mashing by hand allows you to be much closer to the texture so you can add the extra bit of milk they may need to be fluffy.  Since I omitted the bacon from the Gourmet recipe, I add in a bit of butter and a dash of milk.

 They flavor is really just delicious.  I was a little curious as to how the vinegar would work with mashed potatoes but it gives it just the fantastic unexpected sharpness.  And the dill is of course a lovely complement to the potatoes.  The potatoes are flavorful enough that you won't even miss gravy.

So if you need a last minute way to spruce up your table this Thanksgiving give these Smashed Potatoes a try.  Or really, you could add in the dill, vinegar, etc and maybe even the bacon with the left over mashed potatoes on Friday as a way to use up left overs but enjoy a slightly different flavor.  Bonus points go to this recipe in that it doesn't require a lot of ingredients and most are likely in your cupboards already.

Smashed Potatoes

Adapted from Gourmet
Serves 8 (can easily be adapted for 2)

3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 to 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped dill
1 to 2 Tablespoons butter
approximately 1/8 to 1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Steam potatoes in a large steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until very tender, 20-25 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a skillet; add 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Whisk together and take off the heat.

Transfer potatoes to a large bowl; if you prefer to use the water instead of milk when mixing, reserve 1/2 cup of the steaming water.  Add vinegar mixture to the potatoes and smash with a potato masher to desired texture, adding milk (or reserved water) as desired.  Stir in dill and then add remaining vinegar, salt, pepper, and butter to taste.

Note: Can be made 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.  Reheat, covered in a microwave or a 300 degree F oven.

Enoy!  And I hope your holiday meal planning is going smoothly!

~ Tara