Potato, Leek and Fennel Gratin

I finally made this for Christmas dinner this year and it was over-the-moon fabulous.  In this recipe, caramelized leeks and fennel are layered with paper-thin russet potato slices, fresh thyme, cream and Swiss cheese and then slowly baked.  The result: rich, earthy flavors with an elegant spin.

I did some advance preparation.   I washed and sliced the fennel and leeks the day before and stashed them into Ziploc bags.  I also shredded the cheese and bagged it as well.  On Christmas morning, I thinly sliced the potatoes and kept them fresh in a bowl of cold water.

Christmas with Southern Living 2001
Page 148
Copyright:  Oxmoor House

2 large fennel bulbs
2 leeks
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup milk
3 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Rinse fennel.  Trim stalks to within 1" of the bulb.  Discard stalks and fronds.  Cut a slice off the bottom of the bulbs.  Slice lengthwise in half.  Remove core with a paring knife.  Cut the fennel into 1/4" slices.

Rinse leeks.  Trim off the root ends and tops from leeks, leaving 1" of dark leaves.  I sliced the leeks into 1/4" thick disks and added them to a bowl of cold water, separating the rings.  Swish them around and the grit will fall to the bottom.  Drain the leeks well and dry them on paper towels.

Saute the fennel and leeks in the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat for five minutes.  Add the 3/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. thyme.   Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 more minutes.  Set aside.

Combine potato slices, flour and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large zip-top bag.  Seal the bag and shake to distribute the flour and salt.   Arrange half the potato in a buttered gratin dish or 13" x9" dish.

Combine whipping cream and milk; pour half of this mixture over the potatoes in the dish.  Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups cheese and 1 tsp. thyme.  Spoon all the caramelized fennel and leeks over this and top with remaining potato slices.  Pour the remaining cream mixture over this and sprinkle with remaining cheese, 1 tsp. thyme and pepper.

Bake, covered, in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes or until golden and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Southwestern Chicken and Potato Bake

One of my favorite weekend breakfast items is Southwest Style Hash Browns by Simply Potatoes.  They are H.O.T. and addictive.  Great with eggs and toast and delicious in burritos.

A recipe on the bag caught my eye:  Chicken Salsa Verde.  I made it last night for dinner, with my tweaks, and it was great.  If you can take the heat, this one is a winner.

This is how I made it:

1 tablespoon garlic oil

1 package boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about one pound)

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 package Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns (in the grocer's refrigerator case by the eggs)

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup Herdez salsa verde (in the Mexican Foods section of your grocery store)

1 cup shredded Mexican Four-Cheese Blend

Chopped green onions and sliced avocado, for garnish

Grease a 12 x8" or 13 x9" casserole dish and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat up the garlic oil until it sizzles.  Season the chicken with Mrs. Dash and salt on both sides.  Brown the chicken on both sides.

While the  chicken is browning, combine hash browns and sour cream.  Spread into prepared casserole dish.  Top with the chicken.  Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until potatoes are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Pour the salsa verde on top of the chicken only.  Sprinkle the cheese over the entire casserole.  Continue baking, uncovered, for five minutes to melt the cheese.

Garnish and serve.  I only used the green onions last night because, sadly, I neglected to buy an avocado :(

Of course, you can substitute chicken breasts for the thighs and red salsa for the salsa verde.  If you think the Mrs. Dash may be over-the-top spicy, season the chicken with only salt and pepper.  We prefer red salsa in general, so I bought a 7 oz. can of the Herdez salsa verde for this recipe. 

Simple Roasted Reds

Happy Easter!

I normally make the family recipe for potato salad on holidays.

This year, I only had to cook for four. I did roasted potatoes and they were easy and flavorful. It was nice to have a side dish that I didn't have to fuss over. It just did its thing while I finished my other tasks.  This is so easy I hesitated to post it, but it's worth remembering when you need a side dish and you're running out of time.

1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, the smallest ones you can find

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning

Halve the larger potatoes in the bunch and leave the littlest ones whole. Wash and dry them. Pour them onto a sheet pan with sides. Drizzle with oil and add the seasonings. Toss with your fingers.

Place the pan into a preheated 425 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and roast for another 10 minutes or until evenly golden and tender. Great hot or at room temperature. Leftovers are wonderful the next morning with eggs.

Taste of Ireland

I couldn't let St. Patrick's Day pass without posting two of my favorite Irish recipes:  champ (mashed potatoes with green onions and butter) and Irish soda bread.

For this recipe, click here for Darina Allen's Scallion Champ.

I've tried a few different recipes for Irish soda bread.  My favorite one was developed by one of my favorite cookbook authors, Sarah Leah Chase.  It has Scotch-soaked raisins (hello!), a little brown sugar for sweetness and whole-wheat flour for fiber and texture.

Irish Soda Bread
Sarah Leah Chase
Cold-Weather Cooking
Copyright 1990
Workman Publishing

1 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons Scotch
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter
1 tablespoon caraway seed

Toss the raisins with the Scotch at least one hour before making the bread.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk together the eggs with the buttermilk and butter.  Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon.  Add raisins and caraway.

Shape the dough into a round loaf on a greased or parchment-lined sheet pan.  Slash a deep X across the top of the bread.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven until brown.