Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes are a variation on roasted potatoes. The potatoes have a crispy outer skin with a delicious, soft inside. The cooking technique isn't different from common baked potatoes, with the exception of being thinly sliced into an accordion shape.

A blend of butter and garlic creates a crunchy outer crust that is perfectly seasoned. To guarantee that the potatoes are cooked through, I parboiled them for a few minutes, cut them into a fan shape, dried them in the oven, then smeared them with a generous amount of garlic-flavored butter.

The accordion potatoes have a fancy presentation, but really, the dish isn't complicated at all. I'm thinking of serving hasselback potatoes for Thanksgiving this year instead of the roasted potatoes I typically make. As an added bonus, they go great with meat or poultry, making them perfect for turkey day.

 

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Sauteed Parsley Potatoes (Poelee Pommes de Terre)

In French, poêlée de pommes de terre aux fines herbes translates to "sautéed parslied potatoes". They are a cross between pommes rissolées, pommes parisiennes and Lyonnaise Potatoes. The potatoes are sliced, pan-fried then diced and sautéed in parsley oil.  The dish is complete in no time.

My favorite way to serve these kinds of potatoes is with a steak salad. I grill a tri tip sirloin steak, slice it thin and mix it with red oak leaves and a simple lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. This is probably one of my favorite meals of all times!

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Barbecue Tips: Sweet Potatoes Cooked in the Coals

Our summer season has been filled with pool parties and a lot of barbecues. Grilling vegetables and meat is usually what makes the meals, but who doesn’t love all the yummy side dishes as well? If you’re looking to make something besides potato or pasta salad, here’s a delicious and not so ordinary suggestion: baked sweet potatoes, cooked in the coals or in ashes. Sweet potatoes are so much healthier than regular potatoes and the kids love to scoop the smooth and velvety sweetness.
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Roasted Creamer Potatoes

Creamer potatoes are potatoes that are harvested while they're still young. I recently bought these apricot-sized potatoes at the farmers' market. They were so cute, I couldn't resist!

I roasted them whole with skins on and rubbed them in butter flavored with oregano flowers from our garden. The potatoes have a crisp-skin on the outside, while the inside is tender and moist. If you can't find creamer potatoes, you can use Yukons that have been cut into quarters, but it's not the same as having each bite wrapped in crispy potato skin. Mmmmmm.

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Aloo Gobi Recipe

Aloo gobi is an Indian vegetarian dish made with potatoes (aloo), cauliflower (gobi) and Indian spices. I also added peas, tomatoes and the usual ginger garlic paste.

I think aloo gobi was the first Indian dish I ever cooked when I got married. It's very easy to assemble all the ingredients, making it a good introduction to Indian cooking. First, a paste is formed from the spices, and then the vegetables are cooked in the paste until soft. Even though children may not love cauliflower, it is actually a kid-friendly dish. I’ve found it’s a great way to get my little munchkin to eat her vegetables. I just reduce the number of chiles, and serve it with a warm roti (flat Indian bread). Today I made it for us big kids, so I served it with basmati rice.

If you’re looking to try your hand at Indian cuisine, this is a great place to start!

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