Category Archives: Side Dish

How To's, Side Dish

Perfect French Fries

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Perfect French Fries
I have always been on a quest for perfect fries at home.  But like most things wonderfully tasting, it takes a little more time and effort, but the results are well worth it.

 

Most people complain that their homemade fries are soggy and not crispy like at restaurants.  The trick is to osak the potaotes in cold cold water.  I use ice on top.  This crisps them up and also removes the starch which is the enemy when frying.  The more starch removed, the better the fry!!  I have let my fries soak overnight and they were incredible!
4 large russet or kinnebec potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 by 1/4-inch thick batons
2 quarts peanut oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Cover with water by 1-inch and cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

In a 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with a candy or deep-frying thermometer, (or in an electric deep fryer), heat oil over medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Make sure that you have at least 3 inches of space between the top of the oil and the top of the pan, as fries will bubble up when they are added.

Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry. Increase the heat to medium-high and add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350- 375 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry until brown and puffed, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Side Dish

Heirloom Deviled Eggs

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Heirloom Deviled Eggs

 

Serving deviled eggs at picnics and cocktail parties may have been de rigueur in post-World War II America, but these classic creamy concoctions did not originate in the United States. Although they weren’t prepared the same way, the roots of modern-day deviled eggs can be traced back to ancient Rome, where eggs were boiled, seasoned with spicy sauces and then typically served at the beginning of a meal—as a first course known as gustatio—for wealthy patricians. In fact, serving eggs while entertaining was so common that the Romans had a saying, “ab ova usque ad mala”—literally from eggs to apples, or from the beginning of a meal to the end. In Petronius’s satirical fiction “Satyricon,” written around 61 A.D., the wealthy freedman Trimalchio invited guests to a banquet in which the menu included fig-peckers (small songbirds) marinated in peppered egg yolk and stuffed into peahen eggs.

The first known printed mention of ‘devil’ as a culinary term appeared in Great Britain in 1786, in reference to dishes including hot ingredients or those that were highly seasoned and broiled or fried. By 1800, deviling became a verb to describe the process of making food spicy. But in some parts of the world, the popular egg hors d’oeuvres are referred to as “mimosa eggs,” “stuffed eggs,” “dressed eggs” or “salad eggs”—especially when served at church functions—in order to avoid an association with Satan.

A recipe from Fannie Farmer’s 1896 “Boston Cooking-School Cookbook” was one of the earliest to suggest the use of mayonnaise as a binder for the filling. However, despite the fact that mayonnaise began to be distributed commercially in the United States in 1907, the condiment was not commonly featured in deviled egg recipes until the 1940s. The classic version of deviled eggs is now widely considered to include a mixture of mayonnaise, mustard and paprika, but professional chefs and home cooks around the world have experimented with numerous variations on the filling throughout history—including pickles, dill, bacon, crab meat, sriracha, kimchi, wasabi and caviar among many others.

My deviled eggs aren’t fancy, in fact I’m sure that this version took it’s roots during the depression era prepared by one of great great great grandmothers.
I love deviled eggs, but only seem to make them for holidays and picnics.  This recipe passe down from my grandmother, her mother and her mother.   I tweeked a bit over the years; adding the pimento and olive garnish.
 Make sure you grate your onion very fine and drain the pickle relish and pimento well.  If not you will have a thin consistency because of too much liquid.

 


Ingredients6 hard-cooked eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons grated onion
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish- drained very well

1 tsp sugar
1 small jar diced pimento- drained well
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
Salt/pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish
SLiced Green olives for garnish
Directions:
Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks. Stir in the mayonnaise, onion, relish, sugar,mustard, salt, and pepper. Fold in pimento. Pipe or spoon into egg whites. If desired, slice 4 stuffed green olives into thirds and put on top of eggs.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Refrigerate  until serving. Yield: 1 dozen.

 

Eggs

 Here is how to hard boil an egg from:  the http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/cooking-school/hard-boil-eggs
Step 1

Step 1

PLACE eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer. ADD cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. HEAT over high heat just to boiling. Add 1 T salt.

Step 2

Step 2

REMOVE from burner. COVER pan. LET EGGS STAND in hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra large).

Step 3

Step 3

DRAIN immediately and serve warm. OR, cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water, then REFRIGERATE.

Side Dish

Grandma’s Potato Salad

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Old Time Mayo Potato Salad

Although potato salad is enjoyed any time of year in the United States, it is commonly associated with summer and picnics. White and/or red potatoes are commonly used; it is customary to leave a bit of the skin on red potatoes—especially when Americans make it German-style.

Basic ingredients for traditional American potato salad include: cubed, boiled potatoes (typically russet potatoes), mayonnaise or a mayonnaise-like substitute such as yogurt or sour cream, yellow mustard and/or mustard powder (dry mustard), black pepper, salt, celery seed, dry dill, chopped pickles (pickled cucumber), chives, finely-chopped red or white onion, chopped green or red bell pepper, thinly-sliced/finely-chopped celery and sometimes chopped hard-boiled egg whites (usually one egg per batch of salad). Vegetable ingredients (not including the potatoes) are incorporated raw and never cooked. The salad is often topped with paprika and chives, and generally served cold or room temperature.

Every family has a recipe for potato salad and people have very strong opinions about their potato salad.  Some are dyed in the wool “mustard” type, while others are clearly mayonnaise potato salad lovers.  And then there are those who like German or gourmet types like Mediterranean   garlic and hummus; blue cheese and capers or curry potato salad.  Me… I love the old fashioned mayo and pickles.  I love the taste the celery salt gives this dish. Like my grandma and mom before me,  I have been making this version for over 30 years and it always hits the spot for us!

 Old Time Potato Salad
  • 5 pounds small Russet potatoes
  • 7 large eggs, hard-boiled & ( 6 peeled & diced / 1 qtrd for garnish)
  • 4 celery stalks,chopped fine
  • 1 cup diced sweet midget pickles (sweet Gherkin from Heifetz, if you can find them)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons pickle relish (drained)
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp of celery salt
  • 1 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 1/4 cup prepared  yellow mustard
  • 1 medium onion diced ( I like to use red)
  • Finely ground kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
  •  paprika for garnish/Roasted red pepper cut into thin strips/boiled egg

Instructions

  1. Boil the potatoes, skin on, for about 20 minutes or until a sharp knife easily pierces them easily. Drain the potatoes and cool until cool enough to peel them
  2. Hard boil your eggs 1 minutes turn off heat and let set 15 minutes then soak in cold water till ready to peel.
  3. Dice potatoes in bite size chunks and add all other ingredients except paprika and garnish egg. Stir well, make sure everything is coated. Should not look dry, so if you want an extra spoon of mayo or relish add it.  We like it sweeter, so I usually add a bit more sugar.  IF you don’t like sweet don’t add extra.  Learn to trust your tasting  instincts……that’s what’s your Grandma did.
  4. Taste it for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly  Let sit at least 4 hours in fridge for flavors to marry. a day ahead let set overnight, cover with plastic wrap or lid and chill. Dust the top with the paprika and quarter the remaining egg for garnish. Serve cold.
Preparation time: 40 minute(s)