The trick with the French classicPotatoes Dauphinoiseis layers of thin, evenly sliced potatoes. A traditional cheese sauce with bechamel can be a bit of work, but you can improvise and get creative to find shortcuts for a cheese sauce to suit your taste, time and kitchen skills. Topped with onions crisped a tad, adds another layer of flavor and texture to this classic dish that is good to eat any time of the day. Try a warm slice for breakfast with eggs and bacon - wow, so comforting and filling. If you are watching calories and fat content, have on a cheat day and relish every luscious bite. Here is a guide to making this favorite dish that is always a winner. Remember get creative, experiment; there are so many variations on this classic dish. Create your own signature version. Heat oven to 350 while prepping dish. Start with 2lbs of Russet or Idaho potatoes that have been washed and scrubbed with a vegetable brush. You can peel them or leave the skin on. Use a mandolin(e) slicer, food processor or a really sharp knife to make thin even slices. You can blanche the potatoes or use them raw. Classic preparation uses raw potatoes.The cooking time is twice as long with raw potatoes but creates deeper, more complex flavor. Ingredients: Potatoes Onions Cheese (Semi-Hard or Hard Cheese like aged white cheddar, asiago, gouda...be creative) Milk Butter Flour Nutmeg Salt and Pepper Finely chopped garlic (optional) Chopped fresh herbs (optional) A bechamel base for the cheese sauce adds sublime richness. It takes approximately 20 minutes to make this rich, classic french sauce. Remember to slowly stir in the grated cheese for smoothness. Season with a dash of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste, and a little garlic if desired. There are easier, quicker ways to make a cheese sauce. It is as simple as slowly adding and stirring grated cheese to gently warmed milk to prevent scalding. In a buttered or oiled baking pan, line the bottom and sides with sliced potatoes. Alternate between layers of cheese sauce and potatoes. You can add a middle layer of lightly sauteed onions and chopped fresh herbs. Continue layers until filled. Top with a layer of cheese sauce and then a layer of raw onions. A dusting of bread crumbs or wheat bran adds another texture profile. If using raw potatoes, cook until top is brown and crisp. You may need to turn up the heat the last 5-10 minutes, approximate cooking time 1hour 45 minutes. If using blanched potatoes, cook uncovered until brown and crisp. You may want to turn up the heat for final few minutes; approximate cooking time 45-50 minutes. Potatoes Dauphinoise is a perfect side with roasted meat or served as a light meal with a salad. Potatoes Dauphinoise make a fantastic indulgent breakfast/brunch side dish too. Enjoy, Cooking Lounge photo: wbj
The Holidays are a great time of the year to make this crowd-pleasing, rustic root vegetable mash featuring often overlooked and misunderstood, celeriac (commonly known as celery root in US). In this Cooking Lounge Holidays Recipe, the potatoes provide volume and a familiar flavor base, the parsnip adds sweet, creamy, earthy goodness. The celeriac sends the mash over-the-top with hints of herbaceousness and celery along with hearty texture. The flavors and textures in the Mashed Celeriac, Parsnip and Potato stand out yet meld beautifully with butter and cream.
photo: wbj + Nina Masuda
photo: wbj
photo: wbj
At Cooking Lounge, the focus is simple ideas for better living; so, recipes are more of a guide than a how-to. As you get to know more about food, flavors, pairings, growing seasons, and simple techniques, you will be able to create amazing meals that work for you.
Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato 2 lbs of new potatoes 1 lb parsnip 1 large bulb Celeraic (celery root) approximate wt 12 ounces - 1lb. 1 stick of butter 1 cup of half and half or cream salt pepper fresh parsley
To slow oxidation, I put aside a large bowl with cold water and salt for the cut root vegetables to soak. Some recipes suggest lemon and water for the celeraic. The point is keep the ingredients from turning brown.
Celeraic is a tough skinned, ungainly bulb. I used Mastrad's Elios Y Vegetable Peelerfor minimal loss of flesh. Also, the handle felt ergonomic so no cramping up when peeling lots of food. After peeling the celeraic, dice and drop in bowl of water until time to cook. Make the cubes of vegetables about 1 inch each so cooking times will be about the same. Continue with parsnip, peel, slice and dice, then add to bowl of water. Next the potatoes. Depending on the variety and taste preference, the potatoes can be skin on. The skin left on for this version.
Drain and rinse the root vegetables. Add to large pot of water with a teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cook on low until tender (fork pierces with ease).
Drain cooked celeraic, parsnip and potato; add to large bowl. Mash and stir until blended. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of half and half. Mix. Add remaining butter, half and half. Mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more half and half if desired. Remember this is a rustic mash so it WILL NOT be like a puree.
Return mixture to large pot and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick to pan. Place in a serving dish, top with rough chopped parsley. Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato are ready to serve. If you have more time, you can stud the top with butter and bake in a 350 oven until the top is golden brown. Mastrad's Orka silicone pot holder came in handy taking the mash out of the oven and; in a pinch, the Orka silicone pot holder worked as a trivet). You can even prepare Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato a day or so in advance; just heat and brown. Yummmm!
This post features products from innovative, international kitchenware brand, Mastrad. Mastrad sent a few items for Cooking Lounge to review. Not paid for the review. All opinions are solely Cooking Lounge. (BRANDS send more stuff. More to play with in the kitchen and more props.)
