Thankful for the Memories

Thanksgiving is all about tradition. Especially with the food.

That's why my Mommom Sacco's amazing string beans are always on my Thanksgiving table. This dish requires very few ingredients. Beans, a small potato, garlic and oil and voila - magic happens.

That's really how it was with everything my Mommom cooked and baked. And that's one of the reasons I love her recipes so much.

Hope you love this one, too. It's wayyyyy better than the whole string bean casserole nonsense.

I'm so thankful for all the amazing recipes my grandmother taught me. They bring her back to life each time I make them. We love you, Mommom!

Mommom Sacco and me at her last Thanksgiving in 2015. 

Mommom Sacco's String Beans
Makes 10-14 servings

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. string beans, washed, trimmed and cut in half
1 small baking potato, peeled and quartered
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper.

In a large pot filled with cold water, add prepared string beans and quartered potato. Place on stove top. Bring to a boil. Partially cover pot with lid, and boil for 20 minutes or until the potato is tender and falling apart.

Carefully drain the beans and potato in a colander over the sink.

Return pot to stovetop. Add oil and garlic. Cook garlic over low heat. Do not burn!

Add drained string beans and potato to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the beans and potato in the garlic oil. Using a fork carefully mash up the potato. Toss again. Taste for seasonings.

Dish may be made the day before and reheated before serving.

Potato Gratin: Go for it!

We live in a world in which carbs are made of evil. Especially the lowly potato. Layered in cream and cheese.

Soooooooo, if you are one to live in sin, you MUST rock out the fabulous fabulous fabulous Scalloped Potatoes Gratin. The recipe comes from Tyler Florence. It is perfection!

When I tell you that there was not a sliver left behind this past New Year's Eve, I kid you not.

Sure, New Year's is supposed to be all about how to be a better you. And more often than not, a delusional well-meaning person vows to take on a life of health and exercise and do-gooding.

Whatever. Who you kidding?

OK. OK. I did kinda fast for like the entire month of January. Don't the holidays just make you feel disgusting?

I digress.

Perhaps, you can whip this up for Valentine's Day din dins for your lovies. It is decadent and divine, and really, isn't that what this holiday is all about?

If you have a food processor with a slicing attachment, the prep on this dish is super easy. And, of course a mandoline slicer will work just fine if you are not a piano teacher who fears such gadgets.

I think what really gives the dish that touch of deliciousness that pushes it over the edge is the simmering saucepan of cream, nutmeg, garlic and thyme:

Can't you just smell the amazingness while gazing at this gorgeous concoction?!

The potatoes go perfectly with a roast or a steak. I'm sure the dish would complement salmon quite well, too.

I highly recommend whipping up the gratin for your next fancy pancy dinner party in which you are trying to woo the crowd without stressing out. And, this one can be made way ahead of time, which is always a plus when planning a party! So they say.

Scalloped Potato Gratin
By Tyler Florence
Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter
2 pounds, russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.

While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Remove cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5 minutes.

I'll Take the Caviar

Since my life is one of glamour, intrigue, mystery and drama, my 12 blog readers should know that the Jersey Girl loves me some caviar. And what better way to devour some then with the Barefoot Contessa's potato pancakes.

If you have a food processor and the patience to make some clarified butter, this recipe is really not all that high-falutin.

Now, getting your hands on some affordable caviar. Well, that's a different story. Fortunately in this age of the internets, it wasn't as challenging as you think. The word "caviar" always gives me flashbacks of Frasier and Niles having secret meetings with a Russian syndicate on an underground boat in the wee hours of the night so that they could score the most expensive, snootiest and tastiest fish eggs found that side of Seattle for a steal.

The Jersey Girl just logged on to Amazon and ordered this. It arrived two days later at my door step in perfect order.

Now in case you're all like, "Dang, girl. I ain't rollin' in dough."  I assure you, neither is The Jersey Girl. But special times call for special celebrations, and I hooked up The Husband with the gift of caviar for Valentine's Day 2014. My purchase included five types of caviar, and was about $60. Shipping was pricey, but my Main Man is worth it. I also picked up a tub of creme fraiche, which is French sour cream. Amazon also sells the cute caviar spoons. I did not buy these.

So, right. Valentine's Day. Yeah, this post has been collecting some dust. But it's here now!

If you have a food processor with a shredding attachment, prepping the potatoes really ain't no big thang. You need to drain the bejesus out of them in a colander with a kitchen towel. It's not pretty, but you have to get the moisture out of the potatoes so that your pancakes are crispy delicious.

To get your clarified butter on, you melt a stick of butter slowly in a small saucepan. Let it chill out for a bit. The milk solids congeal at the top. You scrape that off and the golden stuff left behind is your clarified butter. A stick makes waaaaay too much for this recipe cut in half, which is what I cooked for The Husband and moi. So, like a good responsible homemaker I stored the leftovers in the fridge, where they went to die a slow and moldy death. Rest in peace, left-over clarified butter.

I must give a shout-out to my sister Michele who rocks these out during the holidays when the crowd is small. You have to make the pancakes right before you serve, so it could be a pain-in-the-bootie for the non-hostess with mostess or if your party is bumping with lots of revelers. They are fab for the New Year. My sis makes them super fly.

Anywho, ain't no shame in getting your fancy on no matter what the occasion:

Potato Pancakes with Caviar
Serves 6 to 8
From "Barefoot Contessa Parties!"
By Ina Garten

4 large baking potatoes
2 extra large eggs, whisked
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. clarified butter
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
About 3 1/4 ounces (100 grams) good caviar or salmon roe

Peel the potatoes and grate them lengthwise. Place them in a colander or kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Melt 2 Tbsp. of the clarified butter in a skillet over medium heat. Drop a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the sizzling butter. Flatten with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes. Turn, flatten again, and cook for another 2 minutes or until crisp on the outside and golden brown. Serve the pancakes hot from the skillet with a dollop of creme fraiche and a teaspoon of caviar.

Clarified butter instructions: To make 6 Tbsp., clarified butter, slowly melt 8 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Set it aside until the milk solids settle. Spoon off any solids that rise, then carefully pour of the golden liquid, discarding the milk part in the bottom of the pan.

Fancy Pants Po-tah-toes

Sometimes you want a side dish with that Wow factor.

You know, like when you rock a killer pair of hot pink or red heels or a sparkly statement necklace or a huge “Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got” ring.

OK. Maybe, I just have those accessory moments.

But when you want your dinner guests to leave your table with a fond memory of the main course AND the accoutrement, serve them some Potato Gratin.

So, let’s get the tough questions out of the way:

Is this dish high-maintenance?

Yes.

Does it take a big chunk of time?

Totally.

Does it require the meticulous task of slicing potatoes ever so-fine and grating a whole heck of a lot of Gruyere cheese?

In the words of Sarah Palin, you betcha.

But it really is super fantastically scrumptious.

And, if I can make one selling point to the hassled, frazzled and frayed: You can make it ahead of time.

Yay!

I do highly recommend that you slice your taters with a food processor and its slicing mechanism. Or you can use a mandolin slicer. (I have to admit, mandolins give me the shivers. Perhaps it’s my pianist fear of losing my fingers. Ack.)

Or, you can use the good-old sharp knife method. I don’t think my knife skills are up to par. And, you really want your potatoes sliced evenly so that they cook evenly. Makes sense, right?

Feel free to switch up your cheeses and your herbs. This is just how I groove on Potato Gratin.

Potato Gratin
Makes six to eight servings

1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 tsp. dried thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. butter (for buttering pan)
2 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and black pepper
1 ½ cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese, plus 3 to 4 Tbsp. for broiling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.

Butter a rectangular or oval 3-quart baking dish.

In a saucepan, combine cream, thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg. Cover the pan. Heat over medium-low heat.

In the prepared baking dish, layer potato slices so that each overlaps a bit. Season layer with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Remove pan with cream from heat. Ladle a third of the mixture over the potatoes. Top with ½ a cup of Gruyere cheese and a third of the ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Repeat this process two more times. You should have three layers.

Place pan in oven and bake for about 45 minutes.

Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle with 3 to 4 Tbsp. of Parmesan cheese and broil until top browns, about five minutes.

Note: You may make dish ahead and reheat at 300 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.