Feel Good Food

Pizza Flatbreads Topped with Potato, Rosemary and Sheep’s Cheese

Western Potatoes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 05:11:41 +0000

Mix the yeast and sugar together and sprinkle on top of in the lukewarm water in a hug. Rest 10 minutes or until frothy.
Mix the flour with salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in a centre and add the dissolved yeast mixture and olive oil and knead thoroughly using the dough hook of your mixer until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, mix well with a wooden spoon then knead the dough lightly on floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and supple.
Place dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover and put in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes. Empty the risen dough on a floured work surface and knead lightly before rolling out thinly.
Using a knife or a pastry wheel, cut out 8 leaf-shaped pieces approximately 12cm long. Using your fingers, make the pieces a little thinner in the middle than at the edges. Place on a baking tray lined with a baking parchment.
Mix the soft goats’ cheese with the lemon juice, salt and white pepper and spread thinly on the flatbreads. Peel and thinly slice the cooked potatoes and arrange on top of the cheese. Slice the hard cheese thinly and add a few slices to each flatbread. Scatter with rosemary leaves and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
Grill under medium heat for about 15 mins, until golden brown. Serve with green salad

Potato Terrine

Western Potatoes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 05:04:46 +0000

Grill the bacon rashers under a medium grill until cooked through but not crisp. Line a loaf pan with a aluminum foil and arrange two thirds of the bacon slices overlapping from one end to the other.
Peel and thinly sliced the potatoes. Soften the gelatine in plenty of cold water. Thinly slice the dill cucumbers. Place alternate layers of potato, pickles and thyme in the lined loaf pan.
Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and puree together with the cream.
Squeeze excess water out of the gelatine leaves and dissolve in a small pan over medium heat. Do not boil. Slowly stir 1 tbsp of the garlic cream to the melted gelatine and then quickly mix in the remainder. Stir in the sour cream, vegetable stock and reserved pickle juice. Season to taste. Immediately pour the liquid over the potatoes into the loaf pan. Gently shake the pan to distribute the liquid evenly.
Cover the terrine with the remaining bacon rashers. Seal the top with foil, weigh it down with cans and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours until set.
To serve the terrine on a plate, remove the top layer of foil and gently invert the terrine on a plate, easing it from the loaf tin. Slice and serve garnished with thyme flowers.

Leek and Potato Soup with Chives and Parmesan Croutons

Western Potatoes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:57:50 +0000

Fry the garlic in 2 tbsp olive over medium heat, until aromatic. Add the diced potatoes and the sliced leek, fry for a few minutes until leek has softened and then add the stock. Simmer on a medium heat for around 20 min.
Remove from heat and puree the soup and stick mixer. If necessary add some more stock and return to low heat. Season with salt, ground black pepper and Worcester sauce.
Preheat the grill and line and baking tray with a grease-proof paper.
Placed the sliced baguette on a tray lined with a baking paper and spread with the cream cheese. Sprinkle the rosemary on top and then add the Parmesan. Grill until golden.
Season the soup to taste and sprinkle with the chives. Grind black pepper over the top and serve garnished with the Parmesan croutons.

Colcannon

Western Potatoes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:50:03 +0000

Cook the potatoes and the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water for around 30 minutes until tender. Drain, mash together and leave to cool.
Blanch the cabbage in salted water for 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Melt half the butter in a large pot. Add the spring onions and fry for a few minutes. Add the milk and heat through.
Transfer the cabbage, potatoes and the remaining butter into serving bowl and gradually stir in the spring onion mixture.
Mix well and season with salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Gnocchi with a Creamy Cheese Sauce and Roasted Pine Nuts

Western Potatoes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:43:16 +0000

Cook the potatoes in salt water for around 30 min. Drain well and leave to cool a little. Peel and mash or push through a potato ricer.
Place the potato mixture on a work surface and season with salt and nutmeg. Sprinkle on the flour, add the egg and work into a smooth dough using tips of your fingers.
Take a third of the mixture and on a floured work surface, roll out a sausage roughly as thick as your finger. Cut 1cm pieces from it and roll over the back of a fork. Do the same with remaining dough, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Place the garlic, cream and the stock in a pot and bring to the boil. Add both cheeses, allow to melt and simmer on a low heat until thick. Season with salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg.
In a non-stick fry pan, dry roast the pine nuts until golden. Remove from the pan and leave to cool. Place the gnocchi in a pot of boiling salted water and cook for around 5 minutes, removing with a slotted spoon as they float to the surface.
Mix the gnocchi with the cheese sauce, arrange in bowls and served sprinkled with parmesan and pine nuts.

Warm Potato Salad with Salmon, Spinach and Dill

Western Potatoes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:20:04 +0000

Cook the whole, unpeeled potatoes in boiling salt water for around 25min.
Season the salmon fillet with salt and ground black pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and place on baking paper in an oiled steamer insert or bamboo steamer.
Boil some water in a pot or wok, add the steamer insert or bamboo steamer, cover and cook the fish for around 8min.
Mix together the yoghurt, mustard and salad cream and 1tsp. dill. Season with salt, ground black pepper and a dash of lemon juice.
Drain the potatoes, leave the cool a little and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Roughly flake the cooked fish and mix together with the potatoes, dressing and the spinach.
Season to taste, arrange on plates and serve garnished with the remaining dill.

Patate Fritte con i Funghi (Fried Potatoes with Mushroms)

twodozen — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 06:13:42 +0000

Peel and steam the potatoes whole until tender, cool and slice thickly. Alternatively, cook whole in the potato microwaver following directions, and peel and slice when cooled.
Heat 1 tbsp butter with the olive oil in a pan and fry the potatoes on a medium heat until they are quite crispy (approx. 10 min). Just before the potatoes are finished, add the sliced onions and fry until golden. Season with salt and ground black pepper, set aside.
Heat the remaining butter in another pan and fry the mushrooms for 3 min, then season. Add the garlic and wine and fry until the liquid has almost evaporated.
Combine the contents of both pans along with the parsley. Fry for a few minutes, season to taste and serve hot.

Image © Eising Studio – Food Photo

Aloo Dhal Curry

twodozen — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 03:29:40 +0000

In a large frying pan, heat ghee or vegetable oil on medium heat. Sweat the onion and garlic with the ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander and cumin for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes, pumpkin, lentils, tomatoes and just enough water to cover all ingredients. Cover and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes until liquid has reduced, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Pillekuchen (German Potato Cake)

twodozen — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 03:25:59 +0000

Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C in a fan oven) and line a tart dish with grease-proof paper.
Fry the potatoes in butter and olive oil for 8-10 min until lightly golden. Stir in the onions and the ham and fry for a few minutes, then season with salt and ground black pepper and transfer to the tart dish. Carefully distribute ingredients in the tart dish so that they are evenly spread out.
Whisk together the milk, flour and eggs to form a smooth pancake batter and season with salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg. Pour over the potato mixture and bake for 30 min until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve sliced with a simple salad of mixed leaved and halved cherry tomatoes.

Lancashire Hotpot

twodozen — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 03:21:46 +0000

Heat the oven to 200°C (180° fan) and butter a casserole dish.
Layer the ingredients in the casserole, beginning with a layer of potatoes, followed by vegetables and then meat, seasoning with salt, pepper and marjoram between the layers. Top with a neat layer of potatoes and season again.
Pour the stock over the casserole, cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours until the meat is tender.
Brush the potatoes with the butter 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time and cook uncovered until the potatoes are golden.